


Oops- It looks like I fell for you

by 1TheArtOfLosing1



Category: Chilling Adventures of Sabrina (TV 2018)
Genre: Attempt at Humor, Christmas, F/F, Falling In Love, First Meetings, Fluff, Grief/Mourning, Human AU!, I had no inspiration for a title so yeah don’t mind that, Rating goes up, Smut, Snow, Somehow Sabrina’s death got into this, You can easily skip the smut and angst if you want, also:
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-20
Updated: 2021-03-03
Packaged: 2021-03-16 06:13:41
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 21,165
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28577316
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/1TheArtOfLosing1/pseuds/1TheArtOfLosing1
Summary: It’s Christmas morning, the first Christmas Zelda has to spend without Sabrina. She is convinced it is bound to be a dreadful day, when a lovely lady named Marie crosses her path (quite literally).Based on this prompt I have had in my notes for ages: “They caught you when you slipped on ice and nearly fell.”UPDATE: a few people asked me to continue this story, so I am making this a multi-chapter fic :D
Relationships: Ambrose Spellman & Zelda Spellman, Dr. Cerberus/Hilda Spellman, Hilda Spellman & Zelda Spellman, Prudence Night/Ambrose Spellman, Sabrina Spellman & Zelda Spellman, Zelda Spellman/Mambo Marie LaFleur
Comments: 47
Kudos: 78





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hey lovies!!
> 
> I know it’s been a little while, but I have literally been so busy with school you have no idea. I started writing this fic ages ago (I meant to post it for Christmas but yeah that didn’t happen) and I only now found inspiration for the ending. 
> 
> Idk what Sabrina’s death is doing in here but ok. 
> 
> Anyways, I hope you’ll like it :)

One thing Zelda has learned over the years, is that Greendale’s winters are _not_ fun. Not at all. The temperatures are currently way below the ones she prefers, the wind is biting her skin without mercy and don’t even get her started on the godawful _snow_. Everything around her is fully covered in it, and there is even more falling from the sky, like there isn’t enough of that dreadful stuff lying around already.

Of course, it was on a day as utterly horrible as this, that her car had decided to give out. Just when she had to pick up some Christmas presents for her family in town. As if the weather wasn’t enough to ruin her day, she’d had to take the _bus_. It had been crowded with people and it had been filled with different unpleasant scents that Zelda really didn’t wish to know the source of. Luckily, the ride from her home to town wasn’t very long. Still, every minute spent on a bus, was a minute spent in agony.

The sidewalk is incredibly slippery, as Zelda takes small, cautious steps, carrying several bags from different shops and a few small boxes. She tries to walk as quickly as possible, since her bus is due to arrive in less than a few minutes, and if she misses it, she has to wait another hour until the next one. Her cheeks and nose are burning from the cold, lips starting to become a little crusty, and she lost feeling in her fingers ages ago. A strong wave of wind goes up her skirt and she silently damns herself for not wearing pants. She clutches the bags and boxes a little tighter to her and looks up, eyelids fluttering against the wind.

It’s then that her eyes fall on a woman who is walking in the opposite direction Zelda is going. Her hands are buried in the pockets of her long, red coat and her black, curly hair is wrapped in a matching red headscarf. Their eyes meet briefly, and the woman smiles at her. It’s just a quick, polite smile, but Zelda suddenly feels warm and fuzzy all over. She quickly throws a smile back and is so mesmerized by the approaching woman, that she loses focus of her feet. Before she has time to register what’s happening, she stumbles and continues to slip on a particulary slippery patch of snow, panic rising in her chest as she does. She flails her arms, trying to regain her balance, and drops a few bags in the process.

Suddenly, two hands are around her waist, steadying her in the most gentle way. Zelda lets out a breath of relief, grateful she hadn’t hit the ground. She would never have recovered from the humiliation if that had happened. Looking up, she finds the same pair of dark brown eyes that had enchanted her just a few seconds ago staring at her right now.

The woman smiles at her, displaying a set of pearly white teeth. “Careful there,” she warns, her voice sounding a little playful and out of breath.

Zelda blinks at her, lips parting to reply, but no words seem to be able to emerge from her throat, her mind completely blank. She just stares, and the woman stares right back, that beautiful, breathtaking smile never falling off her face. Her hands are still around Zelda’s waist, and for some unknown reason, she doesn’t want her to ever remove them. Even through the several layers of clothing she is wearing, Zelda can feel their warmth. It’s only when that though crosses her mind, that she realises the woman’s chest is pressed against her side, and that their faces are only inches apart. She is close enough to catch the faint smell of shampoo clinging to the woman and feels her cheeks flush as the realization dawns on her.

Eyes suddenly going wide, Zelda looks down. “Sorry about that,” she quickly apologizes.

“Well, accidents happen, do they not?” the beautiful stranger shrugs, tilting her head a little. She then pulls back and withdraws her hands. Zelda instantly misses the feeling of her proximity. “Let me help you with those,” she says, already bending down to pick up the bags Zelda had dropped. All she can do is watch, mouth hanging open just a little.

Standing up straight again, holding the bags, the woman asks: “Where are you headed?”

“The bus stop down the street,” Zelda somehow manages to answer, without stuttering too much.

Lifting a thick, dark eyebrow, she purses her lips and asks: “Would you like me to give you a hand carrying all of this? I wouldn’t want you to stumble again.”

Zelda’s eyes widen, and she replies a little too quickly: “No!”

The woman frowns, but her smile remains playful, and Zelda wants to bite off her tongue. _Why is she so nervous all of a sudden?_

“I mean,” she quickly musters a small smile, “you don’t have to.” _Smooth, Zelda Spellman, real smooth._

“It’s no bother, honestly. I was going in that direction anyway.”

Zelda silently thinks about the fact that she had literally been walking in the opposite way, but she decides not to mention it.

“If you insist,” she finally says, and for some reason, it makes her heart rate go up just a little.

Clutching the presents a little closer to herself, Zelda carefully starts walking again, glancing to the side and finding the woman doing the same.

“I’m Marie, by the way. Marie LeFleur,” she introduces herself, catching Zelda looking at her and smirking at her when their eyes meet.

Instantly turning her head away, she feels her heart skip a beat. “Zelda Spellman.”

“ _Spellman_?” She gasps in what seems to be delight. “You are family of Hilda Spellman then?”

Zelda can’t help but frown lightly, as she dares to turn her head again. “Yes, she is my younger sister. Do you know her?”

Marie’s smile seems to brighten a little at the mention of Hilda, before she explains: “As a matter of fact, I do. I love the bookstore she and her husband own. We have little chats every time I’m there.”

That certainly does sound an awful lot like her sister, always talking with her customers as if they are her dearest friends.

“I'll send her your regards when I see her tonight.”

Marie shifts the bags in her arms a little, eyes briefly glancing in Zelda’s direction. “Are you celebrating Christmas tonight?”

Zelda sighs, not able to suppress the urge to roll her eyes just a little, “Unfortunately, yes.”

“Do you not like the holidays?” Marie asks, chuckling lightly at Zelda’s exasperated look.

“Not in the slightest,” Zelda grumbles, eventhough it’s not entirely true. She used to love Christmas. Nothing warmed her heart more than spending time with her family. On all other days of the year, everyone in the family had a life of their own, they all had things going on that seemed more important than checking up on each other, but on Christmas, nothing was more important than simply being together. It was that one day, when everything seemed to be like when they all still lived together. When Hilda and Zelda were raising their niece and nephew and the four of them had dinner together every single day.

Truth is, Zelda never liked Christmas itself, she just loved being with her family.

This year, however, things won’t be the same. Christmas won’t be as joyful as last year, and Zelda fears it never will be again. She knows there will always be a piece of their family missing, a little piece of all of their hearts.

Not wanting to say any of that out loud, Zelda complains: “All the singing, having to rob my bankaccount to buy my family some decent gifts, having to watch the same dreadful Christmas movies over and over every single year- Oh and the _weather_! And if that isn’t enough, my nephew brings a new girl or boyfriend to dinner every year, and I’m so tired of having to pretend it’s the first time he brings one of his lovers over for Christmas.”

Marie fully laughs at Zelda’s spiteful remarks, her head thrown back just a little, only to reveal her long, elegant neck. Zelda stares at her, briefly thinking about how the sound of that woman’s laugh sounds like an enchanting melody.

“Well,” she finally says, “at least you get a chance to celebrate it.”

“And you don’t?”

Marie shakes her head.

“Like, ever?” Zelda asks in disbelief.

Again, she shakes her head, the curls in her headscarf bouncing a little at the motion. “I have never celebrated Christmas in my entire life.”

Zelda looks at her intently, and is about to ask why that is, when a bus roars by. It only takes her a single second to figure out just which one it is.

“Damn it!” Zelda curses under her breath.

“I’m assuming that was your bus?”

Wordlessly nodding, Zelda stops in her tracks, Marie coming to a halt as well. “The next one arrives in over an hour,” she sighs in defeat.

“This is no weather to just stand outside and wait,” Marie says, biting her lip, as she thinks for a moment. “Is there anyone you can call that can come and pick you up?”

For a moment, Sabrina crosses Zelda’s mind. Her niece had just gotten her driver’s license a few weeks before her accident. Everyone had been so happy for her, and Sabrina had insisted on taking her aunt for a ride around town to show off her new skills. The two of them had spent the entire afternoon in Zelda’s jeep, both of them chatting happily while occasionally sharing a lot of laughs. On Sabrina’s request, they had ended the day by getting a big box of donuts and eating them all on a bench in the park, near a small pond. Eating all of them probably hadn’t been the best idea, since Zelda had ended up feeling nauseous and Sabrina got a terrible sugar rush. But despite that, it had been one of the best days ever for both of them.

It had been the last time they had spent time together on their own, just the two of them.

Brushing off that particular thought, Zelda shakes her head. “My sister is certainly too caught up in preparing dinner for tonight and my cousin Ambrose lives too far away to get here in less than an hour.” Hilda’s husband could probably come and pick her up if she asked him to, but he was already picking her up for dinner later tonight and he would be dropping her off back home as well. Two car rides with that man was more than enough for one day.

“I don’t have a car, but I could let you wait for the next bus at my place. Though I doubt you’re the type of person to go home with a random stranger.”

Zelda opens her mouth to react to that, but Marie continues with another question: “How far from here do you live?”

“Three miles or so, why?”

“I can help you carry your bags and we can walk. It’ll take just as long as standing here, waiting for the next bus to come.”

“Don’t be silly, I just met you.”

Marie chuckles at that. “I’m not a creepy stalker or something, Zelda. Don’t worry.”

“No, it’s not that.” Zelda huffs, rolling her eyes lightly, before her face turns serious. “Why would you do that for someone you don’t know?”

“Well, you are my friend’s sister, are you not? Plus, I enjoy taking walks in good company.”

Zelda raises her eyebrows skeptically. “And I am good company to you?”

Pursing her lips, Marie shrugs, “There is only one way to find out.” She smirks, adding a little wink, before she starts walking again, leaving Zelda nailed to the ground as she stares after her. A moment passes and Marie stops, apparently noticing that Zelda isn’t following, as she glances over her shoulder. “Are you coming or not?” she asks playfully, and the wide grin on her face, and the light dimples in her cheeks, are enough to convince Zelda.

“How will you get back home?” she still asks, trying to sound as if she is still not entirely sure, though her mind is quite made up. There is something intriguing about this woman. Something that awakes Zelda’s curious nature, something that makes her want to get to know her better and to see what lies beneath that perfect veneer of warm, entrancing smiles and charming words.

“I can take the bus at your place,” Marie says simply. “Now hurry, ma chérie.”

Hesitantly at first, Zelda starts walking again, Marie still waiting for her. They walk together then, a silence that is neither comfortable nor awkward hanging over them. Zelda reminds herself that if this person is a friend of Hilda’s, she can probably be trusted.

“So...” Marie starts, “What is all of this, if I may ask?” She nods her head to all the different bags and boxes they are both carrying, a little chuckle escaping her lips.

After taking a moment to register that Marie has asked her a question, Zelda quickly answers: “Oh, they’re gifts for my family.”

“I see. And for how many people did you buy gifts?”

“Just four,” Zelda says, before quickly adding: “maybe only three.”

Frowning, Marie turns her head to look at Zelda and asks: “How exactly does that work?”

“Remember my nephew I told you about?”

Marie nods, eyes still on Zelda’s face, and Zelda is certain if she keeps staring at her like that, she’ll either start blushing like a fool or lose balance and stumble again. There is no third potential outcome, because the way those eyes are regarding her, makes Zelda feel certain... _Things_.

“Well, as far as I know, he is currently dating this girl named Prudence, but it wouldn’t be the first time I thought he was dating one person and he ended up bringing along a whole other one.”

Marie laughs at that, only now averting her gaze to look back at the road in front of them. “He certainly sounds like he is living his best life.”

“I have to agree with that,” Zelda chuckles lightly, and Marie laughs again. She suddenly feels a warm feeling spread through her chest at the sound of the woman’s laughter. Her body is nearly freezing from the cold, but her _heart_? Her heart feels warmer than it has in months.

They continue their light conversation all the way to Zelda’s home, and it feels unforced and pleasant. In fact, Zelda is so caught up in listening to the story Marie is currently telling, that she barely notices they have reached her street.

“You _peed_ your pants?” Zelda gasps, her eyes wide in shock.

Nodding her head slowly, face full of regret, Marie confirms: “At the movie theater.”

“Dear God, I would have died if that had happened to me on a school trip.”

“Just imagine how uncomfortable I was during the ride back to school,” she adds, and Zelda laughs.

_She fully laughs._

Zelda can’t remember the last time she laughed since Sabrina’s accident. Ever since her niece was brutally ripped away from her, Zelda’s days have been grey and dark. Things that used to make her happy, seem to have lost their sparkle and every day she wakes up, she is not grateful to be alive, but angry about the fact that she _is_ and Sabrina _isn’t_. She gets mad, because she gets to see another day and her young, joyful niece, who had still been so vivid, doesn’t.

Nothing is ever able to make her smile, let alone _laugh_ , but around Marie, it’s all she does. To the point where her face nearly hurts.

It’s only now that she realizes just how low she had sunk, how she had let herself fade into dust.

All too soon, the two women reach Zelda’s front door, and Zelda could be mistaken, but she is fairly certain she feels her heart drop just a little at the thought of parting with this woman already. For a moment, she struggles with the key, but after a few tries, she manages to unlock the door.

“Where shall I put these?” Marie asks, referring to the presents she is carrying, as both women enter Zelda’s home.

“On the table over there is fine.”

They both drop the bags and boxes on the wooden table in the kitchen and Zelda sighs in relief as she does so. Stretching her limbs in what is ought to be a rather unflattering manner, she lets out a soft groan.

“Are you alright, chérie?” Marie asks, sounding just a little worried.

Zelda nods quickly, “My back just isn’t what it used to be.”

Marie snorts then. “Poor old lady,” she teases, tilting her head to the side.

She hufs, eventhough a gigantic grin is written on her face. “Would you like a drink while you wait for the bus?”

Eagerly nodding her head, Marie sighs happily: “I’d like that very much.”

“Good. I’ll get you something hot,” Zelda says, opening a cupboard to grab two cups. “You don’t strike me as the type of person who drinks coffee though,” she then notes, arching an eyebrow.

Throwing Zelda a surprised but pleased look, Marie confirms: “You’re right, I actually prefer tea.”

“I prefer whisky,” Zelda mumbles dryly, already filling up a kettle with water.

Shaking her head, Marie pretends to look shocked: “I never would have guessed that.”

They both laugh, the sound of their laughter filling Zelda’s chest with something so very close to happiness. She makes them both a cup of green tea, before they move to the living room and sit down on the couch, continuing to talk about things that don’t matter, while eating a few biscuits. The more they talk, the closer to one another they both scoot. Zelda doesn’t know how, but they somehow manage to go from sitting on the opposite ends of the couch, to sitting right next to each other with their thighs touching. For a brief moment, Marie even places her hand on Zelda’s knee, as she laughs at something Zelda said. Though with Marie’s hand touching her, she can’t even remember what it was she said. All she knows is that the warmth of Marie’s thigh angainst her own and the gentle touch of her hand, are sending a tingling feeling across her skin.

After a while, Marie glances at the clock on the wall and announces the inevitable: “It appears I must get going now.”

She downs the remaining drops of tea left in her cup, before giving Zelda a warm smile. “Thank you for the tea,” she says sweetly, before quickly adding: “and the good company.”

Zelda returns her smile, and nods her head, but she can’t help but feel her stomach twist. That feeling only intensifies when Marie gets up from the couch, and starts putting her coat back on.

“Marie?” Zelda suddenly asks, and damn it, she already regrets opening her mouth.

Instantly, Marie looks at her with a raised eyebrow, “Oui, ma chérie?”

Zelda remains quiet for a moment longer, considering her words. She doesn’t want to scare Marie off by her unexpected offer, but she needs to try and ask her. Heaven knows this is certainly the only chance she’ll ever get.

“I lost my niece a few months ago,” she starts, her voice breaking a little as the words leave her lips, and immediately, Marie’s face falls. Before she can start with all that ‘I’m so sorry for you’ rubbish, Zelda continues: “This will be the first Christmas without her, so having someone take her seat at the dinner table might help me get my mind off of her. And if you’re a friend of Hilda, I’m sure she’d love to have you around as well.” Both Hilda and Ambrose had also encouraged her to find a plus one to bring along to the dinner, since the two of them would also be bringing their partners.

Marie looks at her intently, her lips parted and her eyebrows drawn together, as she registers her words.

“I guess what I am trying to ask is: Would you like to join me and my family at our Christmas dinner tonight?” She sounds like a nervous schoolgirl asking her crush out on a date and feels slightly embarrassed about it. “As a thank you, for helping me out today,” she quickly adds, eventhough she is only asking her this because she just wants Marie to stick around a little longer.

A soft smile curls at Marie’s lips then, as she hesitantly nods her head. “I would be honored.”

Zelda lets out a breath of relief and smiles. “Great.”

Marie lets out a short chuckle then, before looking down at her clothes, “Though I am hardly dressed for a dinner.”

Waving a hand, Zelda rolls her eyes nonchalantly, “Don’t worry about that, my family doesn’t really dress up anyway.”

She snorts at that, arching an eyebrow in disbelief. “Ma belle, this is our first date _and_ I am meeting your family. I want to make a good impression.”

Zelda nearly chokes on air, because when Marie puts it like _that_ , maybe this isn’t such a good idea after all.

Apprently noticing Zelda’s sudden distress, Marie asks: “Désolé, was that too forward?”

Clearing her throat, she licks her lips. “No, it appears _I_ was too forward by asking you this.”

Marie shakes her head slighly, “Pas du tout, I like a woman who knows what she wants.”

Again, Zelda feels her eyes widen and her heart rate go up. Heat creeps onto her cheeks and she looks down at her hands in her lap so that Marie won’t see her blush. A soft, gentle hand touches her chin then, guiding her face back up to meet Marie’s gaze. The other woman smiles at her, confidently and beautiful. Zelda can’t help but return the smile, even if hers isn’t as unfazed as Marie’s.

“I am glad we met today, Zelda Spellman.”

Swallowing, Zelda agrees honestly: “So am I.”

Nodding her head, Marie removes her hand from Zelda’s face and turns on her heel. “I’m going home to change and then I’ll come right back.”

“Alright,” Zelda mutters quickly, staring after her. Then suddenly, something pops into her mind and she needs to ask: “Marie?”

Glancing over her shoulder, Marie stops, hand on the door knob. Her eyebrow is arched, full lips parted and her head tilted just a little. Zelda feels a flutter in her chest as she notices just how beautiful Marie is. It has been ages since Zelda last appreciated the small, beautiful things around her, but it’s been even longer since she saw any beauty in anything at all. She can’t remember the last time she tried to see the good things of the world, but with a woman like Marie in her presence, it’s impossible _not_ to notice. It is impossible to look past that breathtaking smile and to not let her eyes linger on her curves for just a second longer than what is considered appropriate, and she cannot deny the way her traitorous heart jumps up a little every time her mouth opens to let out that enchanting laugh of hers.

“Were you really going in the direction of the bus stop?” she asks, curiosity blooming in her stomach.

She bites her lip at that, a mischievous grin threatening to spread across her face. Shrugging, she finally says: “Maybe I was, maybe I wasn’t.”

With that, she opens the door and makes her way outside, gently closing it behind her, only to leave Zelda still sitting on the couch, but now with her jaw nearly on the floor.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Arriving at Hilda's house.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hii!! Thanks for reading my fic! I didn’t plan on adding chapters to this one shot, but a few people asked me for it so here we are lol
> 
> The first scene is pretty angsty so TW for grief!! 
> 
> I wrote it after giving my mom a visit (specifically her grave lmaooo) so I used it to cope lol. And the last scene was written in the middle of the night so this is a very ‘interesting’ chapter lol. It doesn’t have much plot yet but things will get heated up in the next chapter so stick around for that if you like :)
> 
> Marie’s outfit was inspired by Michelle Obama’s ICONIC inauguration outfit, because, I mean, Marie would look bomb in it. 
> 
> Translations are in the notes at the end
> 
> Enjoy!!

_“You’re bringing a date?”_ Hilda inhales sharply, pure excitement ringing in her voice.

Grimacing at the use of the word ‘date’, Zelda licks her lips and strokes a hand over her face. “I wouldn’t call it that, but yes I am bringing along a plus-one,” she mutters, her jaw tensing just a little as the words leave her mouth. It’s been about fifteen minutes since Marie went home to change, and Zelda already wonders _what the Hell_ she had been thinking when she asked a woman she just met to come and meet her family. Is she really _that_ lonely?

Her sister practically shrieks at that, the high pitched sound making Zelda flinch away from the phone in her hand. _“That’s marvelous, Zelds! Is it anyone I know?”_

“Yes, as a matter of fact. Her name is Marie LeFleur. She said she-“

Before Zelda even gets a chance to finish her sentence, Hilda gasps: _“I do know her! Such a lovely lady, she is. Always wearing these long robes with lots of colors and she is always smiling. I don’t think I’ve ever seen her in a bad mood.”_

Instantly, the corners of Zelda’s mouth curl upwards, as she thinks of the image of Marie sitting in the bookstore with one of those large grins written on her face. Realizing in horror that she is smiling at the mere _thought_ of Marie, Zelda clears her throat, her fingers starting to fiddle with a piece of her skirt. “That’s the one,” she confirms, before quickly adding: “I do hope you don’t mind me bringing an extra person quite so unexpectedly.”

_“Not at all! The more the merrier, right?”_ The sound of Hilda’s bubbly laugh echoes through her phone then and Zelda can’t help but chuckle as well. Her sister’s laugh has always been infectious. _“I always cook too much anyway.”_

That is certainly true. Hilda still cooks as if an utterly famished Sabrina is to walk into her house at any moment, demanding a five course dinner. Zelda also knows she still makes blueberry pancakes every Sunday, eventhough their niece isn’t around to eat them anymore. The thought of that both stings and warms her heart. It makes her feel as though Sabrina will never truly be gone, as long as they remember her. On the other hand, she is afraid Hilda will never really let go of her, and that she will get stuck dwelling on old habits. That a part of her will never accept the oh so bitter truth.

“Thank you, Hildie,” Zelda speaks softly, suddenly feeling nostalgic. She can’t wait to see her sister again tonight, it’s been way too long already. “I miss you,” she admits, her voice cracking the tiniest bit, which is most certainly enough for her sister to notice.

Silence stretches between them for a moment, before she hears Hilda sniff and reply: _“I miss you too, Zelds.”_ She sounds like she is on the brink of tears and Zelda knows they have been apart for far too long.

The loss of their niece had, in a way, seperated them.

Zelda isn’t one to show her pain to others, always hiding her feelings behind a perfect veneer of sarcasm and harsh remarks. Running from her sorrow and pretending it isn’t there has always been easier than facing it. Occupying herself with work to keep her mind off of the problems in her life has always sounded more appealing than actually doing something about them. Unfortunately, occupying herself with random things isn’t always an option.

At night, for example, there is nothing to keep her thoughts from wandering back to her niece’s death. It’s when she is lying in bed, alone in the dark, with no company other than that of her own twisted, sick mind, that it all hits her the hardest.

Hilda, on the other hand, finds comfort in dark days by being with those she loves and holds dear. She cries and she sobs, she talks about what she feels and she smiles at fond memories that she knows will never occur again. She scatters photographs around her house and chuckles about how grateful she is for everything she still has. She laughs, and she tries to keep going despite her pain, but most of all: _she breaks down_.

Even the embodiment of a ray of sunshine cannot be strong forever, cannot keep smiling forever, cannot keep saying ‘things will be better tomorrow’. And, unlike Zelda, Hilda isn’t afraid to show that vulnerable side to the world. She doesn’t feel pure panic flooding through her heart at just the thought of having someone see her as anything but a strong, fearless woman.

No, she _hurts_ just as openly as she _loves_.

She cares and she loves without holding back, but the more you love someone, the more it hurts when they’re gone. The more you love someone, the bigger the hole they leave in your heart feels, the emptier your soul becomes, the deeper the cuts their loss leave you are.

Hilda had been so, _so_ broken.

Zelda has always loved her sister more than anything, but when Sabrina died, she had barely been able to hold _herself_ together, let alone give comfort to her sister. She had stayed with Hilda for the first few days after the accident, trying to be there for her little sister, doing everything in her power to ease her suffering.

_Anything_.

During those days she would have done _anything_ to make her sister smile. And on some occasions, that is exactly what she did.

Zelda reminded Hilda about the time when Sabrina got the tiniest matryoshka puppet stuck in her nose when she was just a small child, and how they had to get it taken out by a doctor. She talked about how the two of them learned her to stand up by putting cheeto’s on the coffee table, and about the first steps she took. Hilda had smiled briefly at the memory of Sabrina returning from her first day of school. The young girl had given them a painting she’d made that day, explaining that it was the three of them. Both aunties had praised her to the skies, eventhough neither one of them could actually make out which smear of paint on the paper was who.

She had done everything she could to keep her sister’s pure heart safe, to keep it from damaging any further. And it had cost her every ounce of energy left in her body. Every inch of her had been telling her that she was about to break, had been screaming that her perfect veneer was about to crack and melt away.

That’s why she had isolated herself, and had licked her wounds on her own, away from those who were going through the very same pain as her. She couldn’t let anyone see her fall apart. Not even her sister. _Especially_ not her sister. Zelda had always been strong for her. First when their parents died and then when their brother Edward and his wife Diana died. She was always strong for her little sister.

At least, she tried to _appear_ strong. Even if she couldn’t actually be strong, she would never let her sister she her ache.

It had taken weeks for her to finally find the strenght to face her sister again. But Hilda had still been so fragile and hurt, and it had taken Zelda even longer to visit her again after that.

She realizes now that all of that had been a mistake. Not only had she lost her niece, she had also lost her connection with her sister. Instead of trying to heal Hilda, she should have allowed the both of them to be broken.

“We should see each other more often,” Zelda decides then and she can almost imagine Hilda eagerly nodding her head, as the sound of a sob that comes out as a chuckle reaches her ears.

_“Definitely. We could go hiking in Riverdale like we used to, eh?”_ Hilda suggests and Zelda closes her eyes, feeling tears burning behind her eyelids.

Voice trembling, and lips quivering, Zelda still manages to choke out: “I’d love to.”

***

After ending the call and shedding a tear or two, Zelda manages to drag her body upstairs to change into one of her favorite dresses. It’s not quite the showstopper of an outfit she would normally wear on a first date, but it’s comfortable and makes her feel good. And most importantly, it makes her ass and hips look _immaculate_. She fixes her hair a little as well and reapplies her makeup, suddenly feeling a little nervous.

_A first date._

Zelda can’t remember the last time she went on one of those, let alone the last time she went on a _second_ one. Plus, the last time she went out with a _woman_ seems like a lifetime ago.

Before Sabrina was born, Zelda used to go out every weekend. She honestly cannot remember if during those days random strangers made her feel quite as bemused- in a good way- as Marie, but she does know that back then she would _never_ have made the first move by asking someone out. Zelda never chased anyone. No, people chased _her_ , and she loved every second of it. She loved making people run for her, only to turn them away. But with Marie, it was different. Maybe, just _maybe_ , she’d speed up her pace a little to go after Marie if she had to.

But that’s a _big_ maybe.

She is still feeling a bit emotional from the phonecall with her sister, when there is a knock on the door. Taking a final look at herself in the mirror of her vanity, she spins on her heel and rushes downstairs, quickly opening the door.

“Bonjour, ma belle,” Marie greets her, before quickly making her way inside. Snowflakes have gathered in her hair, and Zelda, strangely enough, finds herself having to suppress a smile at the sight.

“Hello again,” she mutters, trying to keep herself calm and collected. For some reason Marie makes her feel like a teenage girl all over again.

Zelda watches as Marie takes off her plum overcoat, revealing the outfit she is wearing underneath: A tight maroon turtleneck sweater, tucked into a pair of wide leg trousers, that are rather snug at the waist and hug her deliciously round hips in the most beautiful way, while still showing off her long, elegant legs. With that, she is wearing a golden belt, and a matching pair of round hoop earrings. Her hair is still wrapped up in a headscarf, but now in a simple black one instead of a red one.

Zelda swallows almost audibly, staring at the woman in front of her, because she really lacks the selfcontrole to respectfully avert her gaze with Marie looking like _that_. Of course, Marie catches her doing so.

Raising her perfectly shaped eyebrows with a playful smile on her lips, she asks: “Like what you see?”

_Very much, yes._

Zelda coughs, feeling her cheeks starting to burn, before she turns around and leads Marie to the living room without saying a single word.

She hears her hum then, the low sound making every hair on the back of Zelda’s neck stand up straight. “I’m assuming that’s a ‘yes.’”

Turning around, Zelda takes Marie’s coat from her and drapes it across the back of a chair. She gives her a shy smile then, and admits: “You do look lovely.”

Marie looks pleased by the statement, and she nods her head in thanks. “So do you, chérie.” Her eyes suddenly fall on Zelda’s neck. “J’aime ton collier,” she says in awe, taking a few steps forward until she is standing right in front of her. Without hesitation, her hand reaches up to let her fingertips ghosts along the golden necklace Zelda is wearing. Zelda inhales sharply, freezing below her touch.

“Thank you,” she chokes out, as Marie’s fingers briefly touch her skin.

“Does it have any special meaning?” Marie asks, seeming to be completely oblivious to the way Zelda’s breath hitches as she gently touches her finger against the ruby gemstone. For a moment, Zelda fears Marie might be able to hear the sound of her heartbeat, because her heart is suddenly racing like a maniac.

“It used to,” Zelda mutters, trying not to focus on the way Marie’s face is mere inches away from her own and how those deep brown eyes of hers are fixed on the necklace in front of her. She tries to ignore the feeling of Marie’s warm breath on her skin and the scent of her perfume climbing into her nose. She desperately tries to not look at Marie’s perfect cupid’s brow and her thick lips that are currently painted a dark purple, _and dear God_ , she really tries not to think about how they would feel when pressed against her own.

“My first girlfriend gave it to me,” she says softly, and Marie’s eyes shoot up at the mention of a female lover. Curiosity is written on Marie’s features, as she seems to be waiting for Zelda to continue.

Zelda hufs, and lowers her gaze, feeling a bit anxious. “We were together in high school, so it’s been quite a while since it lost its significance.” Lifting her shoulders, she adds: “And it’s not like that relationship was very meaningful anyway.”

She dares to gaze up again then, and finds Marie still regarding her with that searching look in her eyes, her fingers still touching the necklace. “Since you say she was your first, I’m assuming there was a second?”

Zelda’s lips part in surprise.

“Did you have any more meaningful relationships with women after her?”

_Did she just ask if she is gay?_

Someone knocks on the door at that, and Zelda nearly jumps up at the unexpected noise. Marie chuckles, apparently noticing how startled Zelda got.

“That must be Hilda’s husband,” Zelda announces, after clearing her throat just a little awkwardly. “He’s giving us a ride, since my car broke down this morning.”

“Oh, ça c’est très gentil!”

Zelda quickly flees from the living room, making her way to the front door and opening it. She’s instantly greeted by a very warm smile.

“Zelda! How lovely to see you,” Kenny says, rubbing his gloved hands together against the cold.

Mustering a smile in return, Zelda opens the door further to let him in. “It’s good to see you too,” she replies, and eventhough the two of them will never be as thick as thieves, it’s not even a complete lie. Recently, Zelda has learned to tolerate the man, while still being able to sow fear in his heart by just glancing in his direction. It’s exactly how she likes men to be around her: Always just a little bit scared to lose a limp if they say the wrong thing.

She admits that when he and Hilda first started courting, Zelda’d had her doubts about the man. That, and she’d had the feeling his only intention was to come and snatch her only sister away from her. But over the last few years, Zelda has come to realize that this man is truly her sister’s other half and that if there is something like soulmates, he is definitely Hilda’s. In the end, all Zelda has ever wanted is to see her sister happy and if this wannabe vampire is what makes her happy, then so be it.

He walks past her and into the living room, and instantly Marie’s excited voice echoes through the house.

“Chéri! Long time no see!”

Turning around to go the same way Hilda’s husband had gone, Zelda finds Marie and Kenny hugging, Marie’s eyes closed and her arms wrapped around the man’s neck. It’s then that Zelda realizes Marie is probably closer with her very own brother-in-law than she is.

_‘At least that’s better than awkward silences,’_ she idly thinks.

***

After Marie and Kenny have properly greeted each other, the three of them carry the presents Zelda bought to the car and put them in the trunk

“Buckle up, ladies,” Kenny states, once they are all sitting in the car, as he fastens his seatbelt.

Marie and Zelda copy his motion, the two women sitting together in the backseat. Zelda glances to the side, finding Marie already watching her with big, adoring eyes. Feeling a blush threatening to creep onto her cheeks, she averts her gaze and looks out of the window instead.

“Hilda told me to say she’s sorry she couldn’t come pick you up herself. She’s got some things cooking that need her constant attention,” he says, starting the engine, before driving out onto the street.

“That’s quite alright,” Zelda assures him, folding her hands together in her lap. Subconsciously, her gaze wanders back to Marie barely a moment later, and the other woman is looking out the window just like she herself had been. Zelda takes a moment to let her eyes move along her features, appreciating her sharp, highlighted cheekbones, long lashes and full lips. With delight, she notes that Marie has the smallest little bump on the brige of her nose.

Marie suddenly turns her head, catching Zelda looking at her. She smiles and winks, like she _knows_ Zelda had been staring. “How are things at the bookstore?” she then asks innocently, looking at the man in the driver’s seat.

_It’s gonna be a long ride..._

***

About 35 minutes later, they arrive at Hilda and Kenny’s home. While Kenny and Marie get the presents from the trunk, Zelda rushes inside, not wanting to wait a second longer to see her sister.

“Hildie?” she calls upon entering the house.

The sound of clattering pots and pans fills the air, followed by a loud thud and a soft yelp.

“Zelds?” she hears her sister call then, and she instantly rushes to the kitchen. She finds Hilda standing in the middle of the room, both her feet and the floor covered in flour and a nervous little smile playing on her lips. “I may have dropped something,” she chuckles, and all Zelda can do is grin and step toward her.

Wrapping her arms around her, Zelda feels a soft laugh escape her throat. “I missed you, sister,” she admits quietly, hand tracing circles around Hilda’s back.

For a mississippi second, Hilda freezes. She can’t remember the last time her sister was the one to initiate a hug.

A little hesitantly, Hilda lets her arms slide around Zelda’s waist, before resting her face against her shoulder. “I missed you too,” she says, and Zelda can feel her smile against her shoulder.

They just stand there for a while, embracing each other without saying anything. That is, until Marie and Kenny waltz into the room without a hint of grace. They’re laughing loudly about something, when their eyes land on the scene in front of them.

“I think we’re interrupting,” Marie whispers to the man next to her, who nods his head in agreement.

They’re about to turn around to let them have their moment, when Zelda pulls back from the hug, quickly saying: “Not at all.”

Squealing, Hilda steps forward with her arms wide open. “Marie! Bonjour!” she greets her happily, pulling her in for a hug, and Zelda cringes at her wildly incorrect pronunciation. Marie instantly returns Hilda’s embrace with equal enthusiasm and the two of them sway back and forth for a moment, both of them giggling like little girls.

“It’s _bonjour_ , Hildegarde,” Zelda corrects her, rolling her eyes lightly.

Parting from Marie, the blonde waves her hand and nods her head, muttering: “Va te faire foutre.”

“ _Hilda_ -“ Zelda gasps, her eyes very nearly popping out of her skull, as she stares at her in utter shock.

“ _What_?” Hilda asks innocently, her brow furrowed in obvious confusion. “Marie told me that means ‘I don’t speak French’.”

Tilting her head to the side, Zelda throws Marie a very dirty glare. The other woman gives her a guilty grimace and mouths: “Sorry,” though she looks like she is far from sorry.

Pointing a finger at her little sister, Zelda scowls: “Never let Marie teach you any French ever again, and for the love of God, never use that phrase either.”

Blinking at the two of them with a puzzled look on her face, Hilda lifts a single eyebrow, and mumbles: “Alright.”

She turns on her heel to go back to whatever it is she was doing before Zelda came in, but she suddenly stops in her tracks. Facing them once more, she asks uncertainly: “So should I not use ‘connasse’ anymore either?”

Zelda closes her eyes for a moment, resisting the urge to strike Marie on the spot.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope this wasn’t an as big of a mess as it feels like to me lol
> 
> Also big thanks to my dear friend @seriousoncer for her endless support :)
> 
> Please have an amazing day!!
> 
> Translations:
> 
> Bonjour, ma belle: Hello, my beautiful  
> J’aime ton collier: I love your necklace  
> Oh, ça c’est très gentil: Oh, that is very kind  
> Chéri: Darling (male version of ‘chérie’)  
> Bonjour: Hello  
> Va te faire foutre: Fuck off/Go fuck yourself  
> Connasse: Bitch


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Christmas dinner.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here we are my dudes, another chapter :)) 
> 
> Enjoy!

“Well, sit yourselves down and get comfy. Ambrose and Prudence should be getting here any minute,” Kenny says, gesturing at the sofa, before disappearing into the kitchen to give Hilda a hand with preparing dinner.

Sitting down on the couch, Zelda settles against the cushions, instantly feeling herself relax at the familiar feeling. It only takes Marie a moment to join her and when she does, she barely leaves any space between the two of them. Zelda’s breath hitches when their thighs touch and Marie casually drapes her arm around the backrest, dangerously close to her shoulders.

Hilda and Kenny had truly outdone themselves with the Christmas decorations this year. Garlands are draped around the door frames, little lights dangling from nearly every piece of furniture, and stockings had been pinned against the walls. Candy canes are scattered mindlessly across the surface of the old coffee table- one that had been handcrafted by their grandfather decades ago- and the smell of roasted turkey lingers in the air. A few feet away from the couch, stands a tall, beautifully made up tree with a gigantic star on top and what appear to be countless presents below it.

It all looks beautiful, inviting and warm. Yet it does nothing to soothe the stinging feeling in her heart, nothing to fill up that huge, black hole she feels as she thinks of just how excited Sabrina got during the holidays.

“This house is amazing,” Marie notes, gaze darting around the room in awe. As she does, Zelda catches sight of the way the lights of the Christmas tree reflect in her irises. Those twinkling sparkles in seemingly endless, deep brown eyes make Zelda feel as though she has perished and her soul has entered the afterlife, because _maybe_ , Heaven does exist after all. Marie’s eyes currently look like two shooting stars, and Zelda idly wonders what wish she should make.

Swallowing, Zelda nods. “It’s been in our family for many generations.”

“Vraîment?” Marie gasps, turning her head to look at her. Zelda feels like all air has suddenly been sucked from her lungs, as Marie smiles at her.

All she can do is wordlessly nod.

“Ça c’est incroyable!” she chuckles, eyes returning their journey around the room. Apparently she is totally unaware of the effect her proximity has on Zelda. “My family never stayed in one place long enough to pass a house from one generation onto another.”

“And do you like travelling?” Zelda asks, not really understanding where the question came from.

She looks at her again, grinning. “Definitely!” Biting her lip, she adds a little unsurely: “Though I have noticed that these last few years I have become more drawn to finding a place to stay, _tu comprends_?”

Taking a while to form her answer, Zelda considers her.

“Yes, I do understand.” She fiddles with the ring around her finger for a moment, before continuing: “I travelled around the globe when I was younger, and though I enjoyed every single second of it, there came a point where I felt like I needed to settle down.”

Marie looks at her intently, really seeming to be registering her words, before she raises an eyebrow, asking: “And did you?”

Silence fills the room for a moment, the two women looking directly into each other’s eyes, and for some reason it makes Zelda feel as though she is drowning in Marie’s stare.

“I did,” she decides finally, “In some ways, I believe.” Marie opens her mouth to most certainly ask her even more questions, but Zelda is curious as well. “What about you, though? How come you’ve been wanting to set down roots?”

Shaking her head, Marie purses her lips. “I would say age.”

It sounds more like a question than a statement, and Zelda knows she’s stepping on thin ice. To get an as uncertain answer like this from a woman as confident as Marie, Zelda knows it can only mean one thing: She’s getting close to an insecurity.

“ _Age_?” Zelda nearly huffs, looking at the other woman in disbelief.

Shrugging, Marie confesses: “Almost everyone I know has got their life together. They’re all married, have children and houses, meanwhile I live alone with my dog.”

_Ah, so that is the problem. She is the only single friend._

Marie chuckles then, but the sound is hollow and dry. “I always enjoyed my freedom, until I woke up another day, alone, without having to consider anyone else, being able to do whatever I like, and I wondered,” she takes a deep breath, and looks down for a moment, before glancing up to meet Zelda’s gaze, and asks: “Is this freedom, or loneliness?”

_Oh_.

Zelda blinks at her, suddenly at loss of words- which is something that doesn’t happen often.

She recognizes that feeling. Zelda knows what it feels like to wake up, without a purpose. Before the accident, her niece had been her purpose. Her family had been her purpose, but now that she has lost Sabrina and almost completely lost touch with the rest of her family, what is her purpose anymore?

“Désolé,” Marie apologizes, seeming to notice how Zelda is getting lost in her own thoughts, “I didn’t mean to ruin the mood.”

“You didn’t,” Zelda assures her quickly, placing her hand on top of Marie’s and as soon as she does, she wonders _why she did that._

Marie smiles and then snorts, shaking her head. “I’m also just convinced I won’t ever find someone who I can love more than my dog.”

Zelda chuckles, noding her head and retreating her hand. “Well, as someone who has been through more than one failed relationship, believe me when I say that you should stick to dogs.”

Marie laughs at that, her eyes closing for a brief moment and Zelda finds herself fixated on the dimples in her cheeks and the soft lines around her eyes that only show when she laughs.

“I didn’t know you had a dog though.”

“I do!” Marie states, sounding excited at the mention of her dog. “He’s a Golden Retriever named Bailey, but he is kinda old, so really long walks are no longer for him I’m afraid.”

“Well, I’d love to meet him one day.”

The statement has left her mouth without her getting a chance to think twice about it.

Oh, how she would just _love_ to rip out her traitorous tongue and let it burn to ashes in the burning pits of Hell.

Before she can even try to correct herself, Marie smirks, clearly pleased by the insinuation that after tonight they will see each other again. Truth is, a part of Zelda knows that she won’t let Marie slip away from her just yet after this dinner is over, but that doesn’t mean Marie needs to know that. She doesn’t want to come across as desperate, eventhough in reality, she sort of is. Luckily, Marie doesn’t get the oppurtunity to comment on her little slip up, because it’s then that a voice Zelda hasn’t heard in way too long reaches her ears.

“Auntie Zee!” Ambrose exclaims, walking through the door and toward her with a bounce in his steps and a huge grin on his face.

Zelda smiles, her heart warming at the mere sight of her nephew, and gets up from the couch to pull him in for a tight hug.

“How’s jail?” she asks quietly, but not quite softly enough to go unnoticed by Marie, who lifts her eyebrows in surprise, looking just a little bewildered.

Pulling back from the embrace, Ambrose scowls, “Oi, I have been a free man for over five years now, auntie. That joke has become a _little_ old.”

“Not to me it hasn’t.” She turns to Marie, lifting her hand to cover one side of her face, as if she is about to spill some well kept secret, and whispers, “We’ll be dining with a criminal tonight.”

“How exciting,” Marie giggles lightly, her shocked look fading away.

Rolling his eyes, Ambrose clarifies: “I spent a single night in jail for speeding. I’m not some great evil mastermind who attempted to blow up the vatican or something.”

“I didn’t think you were,” she chuckles and gets up from her spot on the couch to introduce herself: “I’m Marie LeFleur, by the way.”

Knowing look forming on his face, Ambrose nods his head: “So you’re auntie Zee’s last minute mystery date?”

“Proudly, yes,” Marie answers without hesitation. The confidence in Marie’s voice makes Zelda’s heart flutter.

“I’m Ambrose Spellman, her nephew.” He leans forward then and presses a chaste kiss to Marie’s cheek, “Nice to meet you.” Pulling back, he briefly looks Marie up and down and purses his lips. “My auntie does have good taste, though.”

Zelda rolls her eyes, playfully hitting his shoulder, “Where are your manners, honestly?”

Bringing a hand to his shoulder, Ambrose gasps, pretending to be deeply hurt, before shrugging. “You never taught me any.”

Crossing her arms in front of her chest, Zelda hufs and furrows her brow, but when her gaze lands on Marie, who is grinning happily, her exasperated look drops and is replaced by a soft smile.

It’s only then that Zelda comes to the happy realization that Ambrose’s girlfriend is nowhere to be seen. Hope blooms in her stomach.

Trying not to sound too excited, she asks: “By the way, where is your dear other half?”

“Right here, Miss Spellman.”

_Damn it._

Glancing at the doorway, Zelda is met by Prudence walking in, her steps slow and confident. “I was just giving your sister and her husband a hand in the kitchen.”

“How lovely of you,” Zelda sneers at the young woman, who’s eyes suddenly fall upon Marie.

Jealousy sparks in the pits of Zelda’s stomach, as she notices the way Prudence’s stare moves down the lenght of Marie’s body, her gaze resting on her curves for just a second too long. Zelda’s jaw clenches, hands turning into tight fists, as she glares at the girl, hoping that she will meet her gaze and back the Hell off, but her eyes seem glued on Marie.

“And who might this be?” she very nearly purrs, as she crosses the room, now walking quickly.

“Marie LeFleur, enchanté,” Marie says, extending a hand.

Purdence is about to accept and shake it, when Zelda suddenly points out: “My _date_.”

Prudence freezes, her hand midair, and Marie’s head snaps towards Zelda, a grin spreading across her face. Dropping her hand, Prudence arches an eyebrow. “Your date? I didn’t know you like women.”

In a flash, Ambrose is by Prudence’s side, gently placing his hands on her shoulders in a calming manner. “I’m sure you also didn’t know she likes to murder people who try to hit on her dates, but she does, so let’s not tempt her, alright?” Prudence is frowning when Ambrose spins her around and guides her into the direction of the kitchen, walking along with her. “Let us go see if aunt Hilda needs some more help, shall we Prudence?”

Once they’re both out of sight, Zelda huffs, her nose up in the air, and sits back down, crossing her arms in front of her chest like a pouting child. Marie’s eyebrows knit together in confusion.

“Qu'est ce qui se passe, ma chérie?” Marie asks, trying to meet her gaze.

“I should’ve known Prudence would hit on you,” Zelda grumbles, averting her eyes, so Marie won’t see how mad, and jealous she is.

“Did she?”

Zelda groans, both her head as well as her eyes rolling back for a moment. “Don’t pretend you didn’t notice. She was totally checking you out.”

She feels the couch shift a little, indicating that Marie has sat down next to her. A soft touch finds her jaw, and her head is gently tilted towards Marie’s face. The woman looks at her with such adoration and kindness, that Zelda feels her heart swell, to the point where she is fairly certain it will burst if Marie keeps on looking at her like that. Her lips part then and she leans forward, their faces barely inches apart. Zelda feels heat spread through her chest, feels every muscle in her body tense and for a solid moment, she believes Marie might just lean in to close the small, remaining distance between them by kissing her. But then her voice reaches her ears.

“I truly didn’t notice, ma belle,” she promises, and Zelda is almost a little disappointed. No, actually, she just is. The other woman’s mouth opens again and she adds: “Why would I pay attention to a mere girl like her when a woman like you is my date?”

Marie smiles at her reassuringly and Zelda feels her insides melt, feels as though she swallowed a billion of butterflies and they are currenty all happily darting around in her stomach. In that moment, she is certain Marie’s smile is the most beautiful, most glorious thing she has ever laid eyes on and she realizes she would sell her soul to anyone to be able to see it for the rest of her days. Marie doesn’t smile with just her lips. No, when she smiles, her entire being seems to be glowing, radiating pure happiness.

_So many._

Zelda Spellman has seen _so many_ smiles over the course of her life, yet not a single one compares to Marie’s. Not a single one has made her feel quite as fuzzy and giddy, as the one currently right in front of her.

She doesn’t know what suddenly possesses her or what makes her lose her selfcontrole quite so abruptly, but before she has time to properly register what she is doing, Zelda is leaning forward and pressing her lips against Marie’s.

Once the realization of what she is doing dawns on her, she means to pull back, but _oh_.

_She physically cannot._

Not when Marie’s lips respond to hers and start moving against her, that soft hand of hers moving to cup her cheek. Her thumb caresses Zelda’s cheekbone tenderly, and Zelda sighs softly at the intimate gesture. Marie feels warm and soft, and the feeling of those full lips moving against her own sends sparks of electricity down Zelda’s spine. Like the waves of the sea meeting shore, Marie’s lips touch Zelda’s, before pulling back just a little. She keeps on doing that over and over again and the soft, repeating brush of her lips is enough to make Zelda feel dizzy. Her head is spinning, and one of her hands settles around Marie’s waist to pull her closer, while the other one comes up to hold the back of her long, elegant neck. Marie stops teasing then, sweeping her tongue along Zelda’s bottom lip, asking permission for entrance. Zelda immediately grants it, willingly opening her mouth for her.

Their tongues meet and Zelda is sure she feels as though she is exploding, as if every inch of both her soul and body are being lit by a match. As though she is gasoline and Marie is fire.

Marie’s tongue twirls around hers softly, yet with enough pressure to make a throbbing feeling form between Zelda’s thighs. She squeezes her legs together and tries to pull Marie even closer, their chests pressed together. Zelda is _desperate_ to feel Marie against her, wants to touch her anywhere she can. She needs to be even closer, eventhough there isn’t any space left between them. It’s like she wants to crawl into Marie’s skin. Marie’s tongue runs over the roof of her mouth and Zelda cannot help but let out a soft moan, fingers clawing at her neck.

“Alright, dinner is almost ready!” Hilda calls from the kitchen, followed by the sound of approaching footsteps.

When Zelda suddenly hears Hilda’s voice, she flinches as though she has burned herself and so accidentally bites Marie’s lip.

“Auch!” Marie whines, pulling back from their kiss with a pained look on her face. A small, red drop of blood drips down from the spot where she had bitten, and Zelda quickly mouths an apology.

She then moves to create some more space between the two of them and wipes her finger around the edges of her lips, trying to fix her lipstick. Her lips are still tingling and she feels terribly turned on, but she tries to appear collected and crosses her legs, folding her hands together in her lap.

Ambrose walks in then, holding some glasses, followed by Prudence, her arms filled with bottles. Next to toddle in, are Hilda and Kenny, both of them carrying plates with appetizers. They all set the goods they brought onto the coffee table and take seats on the couch or one of the armchairs. If any of them notice the rather aroused state Zelda is currently in, they don’t show and don’t mention it either. Looking to the side, Zelda finds Marie seemingly entirely unbothered, as if she hadn’t nearly kissed Zelda to an early death mere seconds ago.

Popping open a bottle of wine, Hilda asks: “Who wants a drink?”

***

They’re all sitting around the table, full plates of food in front of them when Prudence looks up and asks: “When and where did the two of you meet, if you don’t mind me asking?”

It sounds like an innocent question, but for some reason Zelda still finds her hands tightening around the cutlery she is holding. Nothing is ever innocent with Prudence.

Mustering a smile, Zelda says: “It’s not a very exciting story I’m afraid.”

It’s _embarrassing_ , that’s what it is.

“I love stories,” Prudence smiles sweetly, “whether they’re exciting ones or not.”

Zelda’s teeth clench for a moment, before she turns to Marie and suggests: “Perhapse you would like to tell what happened?”

Marie looks hesitant for a moment, giving her a questioning look, but Zelda only nods her head encouragingly. “Bien sûr,” she finally says, before she starts telling the story of how they met this morning. She talks about how she caught Zelda when she slipped, how she walked her home and carried presents and how Zelda had invited her here tonight as a thank you.

Once Marie is done talking, Prudence raises her eyebrows in shock. “So you just met _today_? And you immediately went on a first date?” she asks, as if Zelda isn’t painfully aware of how utterly ridiculous this situation is. She doesn’t regret any of it, but she can’t help but feel like she must have lost a piece of her sanity for bringing a woman she barely knows to come and meet her family.

Ambrose puts his hand on her arm, smiling softly, “Well, there is a first time for everything.”

“And I’m glad you brought someone tonight,” Hilda suddenly says, looking back and forth between where Marie and Zelda are seated, and the opposite side of the table where Ambrose and Prudence are.

“I am as well, especially since you brought such a lovely lady as Marie,” Kenny adds, before taking a long sip from his wine.

A tensed silence follows, everyone glancing at anything but each other, until Marie clears her throat and turns to Prudence. “But what about you, eh? What’s the story of you and Ambrose?”

***

After dinner, the family moved back to the living room, everyone returning to their previous seats. Only this time, Marie instantly draped her arm around Zelda’s shoulder, their thighs brushing against one another as they sit together on the couch. During dinner, Marie had left Zelda lingering touches at seemingly every possible opportunity she got. Sometimes it was a hand on her thigh, a nudge against her arm, a whisper in her ear and on one occasion, she had laced their fingers together below the table.

Marie’s teasing was honestly driving Zelda _insane_ with want.

Every time Marie touched her, Zelda felt her heart rate go up, felt her cheeks burn into an undeniably red blush, and felt her hands turn clammy. She didn’t know what powers Marie possessed, but Zelda felt herself grow weak as water every time the woman merely _glanced_ at her.

They’re currently exchanging presents, Hilda squeaking loudly as she pulls a new pair of rainbow colored knitting needles out of one of the bags Zelda brought. “ _Zelds_ -“ she gasps, looking up at her sister with pure happiness written on her face.

“There’s more,” Zelda says, pointing at the bag.

Hilda’s hand dives into it once again, before pulling out several balls of wool. “ _Zelda_!” she gasps again, before standing up to toddle over to her sister to give her a warm hug. “Thank you!”

Zelda returns the hug with equal force, smiling at how excited her sister can get over the smallest things. She can’t wait to see her reaction when Hilda realizes that Zelda also got her a bunch of new cooking tools.

Once Hilda is sitting down again, Zelda feels a soft nudge against her arm. Turning her head, she finds Marie holding a small, light blue box. Marie nudges her with the box again and smiles softly at her. “Pour toi,” she says simply.

“ _What_?” Zelda frowns, confused, until she understand that _Marie got her a present._ “Oh no, you shouldn’t have.”

Marie shakes her head and hands her the box, “It’s the least I could do.”

Hesitating for a moment, Zelda looks down at the box and then back up at Marie, who gives her a short, encouraging nod. Returning her gaze to the little box in her hand, she finally opens it, finding a delicate, silver bracelet inside.

Speechless, Zelda’s mouth opens and closes a few times as she stares at Marie in disbelief. “This is beautiful.”

Marie grins, clearly pleased. “I’m glad you like it. It’s from an old gift shop close to where I live.”

The bracelet has several pendants dangling from it, and Zelda holds it up to examine them closely. She smiles, and looks up, seeing that Marie is already watching her. “Thank you so much,” Zelda mutters, before leaning in to press a lingering kiss against the woman’s cheek.

As she does so, she feels Marie’s eyelashes flutter against her skin and when she pulls back, her eyes are closed. They open again slowly and she smiles. Zelda can’t help but return it.

It’s only when someone clears their throat that Zelda becomes aware of the fact that there are actually other people in the room with the two of them. She blushes and looks down, closing the box and setting it aside.

When she dares to glance at her family, she finds Ambrose and Hilda sharing a look, both of them smirking subtly.

Zelda rolls her eyes, before lifting an eyebrow and asking: “So, for who is the next gift?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really hope you all liked that :) 
> 
> By the way, I’m probably gonna be updating this fic every Wednesday! I will also be adding tags as we go along and I am pretty sure the rating will go up. But I will always put (trigger) warnings in the notes at the beginning so keep an eye out for those
> 
> Please have an amazing day and get ready for some angst in the next chapter!! 
> 
> Translations:
> 
> Vraîment?: Really?  
> Ça c’est incroyable: That is incredible!  
> Tu comprends?: Do you understand?  
> Enchanté: Nice to meet you  
> Qu'est ce qui se passe?: What’s the matter?  
> Pour toi: For you


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sabrina's bedroom, and returning to Zelda's home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW: panic attack!!!
> 
> The first bit is pretty heavy. It has angst and a panic attack, so if you aren’t comfortable with reading that, feel free to skip it. Just look for the first *** and read from there :) 
> 
> I really, really put a piece of my soul into this so I hope you like it

The wooden stairs creak lightly below Zelda’s feet as she makes her way up to use the bathroom. After a full hour spent by sitting extremely close to Marie on the couch, while having the woman’s hands touch her at any given opportunity, she feels terribly flushed and needs to freshen up a bit.

At least that is her plan.

When she reaches the top of the stairs and turns to her left to go to the bathroom, she catches sight of a door she hasn’t seen in months. She feels her heart sink. At the end of the corridor and behind that door, lies Sabrina’s old bedroom. Zelda hasn’t been in there since the day her niece died, and as far as she knows, neither has Hilda nor any other living soul. Neither one of the sisters had been able to go into that room after their niece passed.

As she stands there, eyeing the light brown door carefully, something inside of her tells her that it is time. Time to do what is in fact just a small step, but feels like the most difficult thing she’ll ever have to do. She has been avoiding this moment for too long already.

Slowly and unsurely, she walks towards it, knees trembling just a little as she does. The walls around her suddenly seem a little too close, the corridor seeming to be too narrowed. She ignores the claustrophobic feeling that is threatening to take over her senses, and before she knows it, she is standing right in front of the door.

Zelda hesitates for a moment, now doubting whether or not this is a good idea. Somehow managing to push the thought that she isn’t ready to do this aside, she places her hand on the doorknob. Her heart skips a beat at the motion, and it feels as if her hand remembers this doorknob so well. She had been standing in this very position so many times: after tucking a small Sabrina into bed, after reading her stories, after telling the young girl about her parents, after checking in on her late at night when she was sick, after cuddling with her after her first boyfriend broke up with her,... And so the list goes on.

She used to waltz into that room more than once every single day, and now, she can’t remember the last time she did. Hell, she can barely even remember what the room looks like on the inside. Come to think of it, she can barely remember what her niece’s laugh sounded like, how she smelled, how her short, blonde hair felt between her fingers as she stroke her hand through it while hugging her, or when she brushed it when Sabrina was just a small girl. She can hardly remember if her niece preferred winter or summer, vanilla or chocolate, lemonade or coke, blueberries or strawberries, morning or evening, cats or dogs,...

Every day, the memories of her niece become more vague, fade from her mind even more. Zelda hates herself for it, but she simply can’t help it.

She had tried to just ignore Sabrina’s death, tried to run from it, and for the most part, she succeeded in doing so. But when you choose to ignore one thing, you have to ignore everything else as well.

Not thinking about Sabrina’s death, meant not thinking about Sabrina at all.

And so, all those small memories started to fade.

Her hand is still on the doorknob, and an aching feeling forms in her chest, like she can barely breathe. She ignores it and opens the door a little. As soon as she does, the faint smell of dust and old memories hits her. Zelda stands there a moment, and for a brief second she is _certain_ she can smell Sabrina’s perfume. She smells lavender and honey, and the scent makes her feel nauseous. It makes her feel happy and sad and it makes tears form in her eyes, because _did Sabrina really smell like that?_ She did. She _did_ smell like that.

_How did she forget?_

Zelda can’t go in there. She just can’t. She doesn’t want to know what other things she forgot, how many other things she ignored for so long.

Shaking her head, she turns on her heel and flees away from the room, leaving the door open in her wake.

Zelda practically runs to the stairs, when suddenly, she starts feeling very dizzy. She had felt dizzy from the moment she had touched the doorhandle, but she had been able to ignore it then. Now, she can feel her legs starting to give out.

A high pitched sound starts echoing through her head, and it grows louder and louder, until soon enough, it is the only thing she can hear anymore. Her vision is becoming clouded, big black spots appearing in front of her eyes. It’s as if they are consuming her, swallowing her whole. They’re gonna suffocate her. Zelda somehow manages to carefully sit herself down on the stairs, holding onto the banister for dear life. Everything is spinning and she can barely hold herself up right. Keeping her eyes open has never been harder than in this moment, but she knows that if she were to close them now, she would never open them again. At least, that’s what it feels like.

It feels like she is dying.

If feels like if she were to give in to the sweet temptation of closing her eyelids, there would be no tomorrow. And oh, in a way it sounds tempting, because maybe, Sabrina is waiting for her on the other side. But every fibre in her body is screaming at her, shouting like a maniac, that she _has_ to stay awake. That she has to keep her eyes open.

Her heart is pounding in her chest, a throbbing sensation coursing through every corner of her being, and she feels _hot_. She is burning up, like a heathen being burned at the stake.

Zelda doesn’t know how long she sits there. Time seems to be happening all at once, yet it also feels frozen. Her mind is blank, everything around her is dark. She isn’t aware of anything but the way her body is quite literally shutting down.

She is terrified. She feels as if she is trapped in her own body, because for once, she can’t run and she can’t ignore.

Her body is making her, forcing her, to _feel_.

Just when she thinks that she will be stuck in this state forever, the sound in her head starts to lessen, and it’s only when it’s nearly completely gone that she starts hearing a gentle voice. Her vision gradually becomes less blurry as well, her gaze going from one black spot, to a fuzzy haze, until suddenly, she notices a figure next to her from the corner of her eye.

“Zelda?” Marie asks, her brow furrowed in worry. Her lips are parted and her arm is draped around Zelda’s back to help her stay up right, whilst the other is holding her hand. “Are you alright?”

Closing her eyes for just a second, she takes a shaky breath and subconsciously leans into Marie’s touch, whose grip on her tightens. “I’m fine,” she mutters, glancing up at the other woman, who is still regarding her as if she might break at any moment.

“You don’t look ‘fine’, chérie. You’re trembling and sweating.” As soon as Marie mentions that she is sweating, Zelda tries to move away from her, suddenly embarrassed, but Marie only pulls her closer. “It’s alright,” she assures her, as if she can read her damn mind.

Then she is reaching up to feel Zelda’s forehead and as soon as the back of Marie’s hand meets her skin, Zelda feels herself stiffen a little, still feeling ashamed of sweating so hard Marie was able to notice. “You’re burning, Zelda. What happened?”

Swallowing, Zelda shakes her head and lifts her shoulders. “I don’t really know what happened.” She knows what caused it, but what _that_ was? No clue.

“Zelda, I’m no professional, but from what I saw and from the state you’re in now, I would say you were having a panic attack.”

Furrowing her brow, Zelda huffs, “Of course not.”

Marie lifts an eyebrow, tilting her head to the side, as she looks at her skeptically.

Zelda squirms below her knowing gaze, before adding: “Panic attacks don’t just appear out of thin air.”

Nodding, Marie agrees: “You’re right.”

Zelda smiles.

Then Marie’s face turns serious and she asks, “They occur when a person is triggered. Did something upset you?”

_‘Upset’ is an understatement_.

“There you guys are! I was getting worried!” a voice comes from downstairs. Both women look down and find Hilda coming up to them, a happy smile on her face. “First you disappeared and then Marie came to find you and then she was gone too- _Zelds_? Are you okay?” Once she is standing in front of them, and takes one proper look at her sister, Hilda clearly knows something is off.

“I’m quite alright, Hilda,” Zelda dismisses her, already attempting to get up from the stairs.

Marie is up in a heartbeat, instantly offering a hand to help her get up. If it were anyone else, Zelda would scoff and get up without accepting their hand, but with Marie, she finds herself gently taking it. She lets Marie pull her up, her hand coming to rest on Zelda’s back.

“Are you sure?” Hilda asks, eyeing the two women with a somewhat suspicious look.

“Yes, I’m certain,” Zelda quickly answers, before starting to make her way down the stairs. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I think I need a drink.”

***

An hour later, Zelda finds herself in the backseat of Kenny’s car, staring out of the window so she won’t have to deal with the embarrassment of seeing that knowing look in Marie’s eyes. The woman is just worried about her, Zelda knows that much. But the weight of her caring, concerned look makes her want to burst out in tears on the spot. It also makes her want to kick her own ass for letting someone read her so quickly.

A deathly silence has been lingering throughout the car ever since Kenny started the engine.

Zelda has purposely been trying to ignore Marie’s existence for the entire car ride, knowing that if she were to look at her for a second too long, she wouldn’t be able to hold herself together anymore. About fifteen minutes into the ride, Marie had reached out and gently squeezed her hand, her touch warm and tender. After a short moment, Marie had retreated her hand, and for some reason, Zelda’s instant reaction had been to reach out and take it back, interlacing their fingers. That is, until she had felt tears climbing their way into the corners of her eyes and she had quickly snatched her hand back.

She is quite certain she feels her heart jump up in relief as her front door comes into sight. The car slows to a stop in front of it, and Kenny turns around to look at the two ladies. “Well, here we are.”

Zelda musters a smile, and briefly touches his shoulder, “Thank you for driving us.”

“Any time.”

“Yes, thank you Kenny,” Marie says, leaning forward to smile at him, “Both for giving us a lift and letting me dine with all of you tonight.”

“It was a pleasure to have you. I hope I’ll see you at the bookstore again soon?”

Nodding, Marie promises: “You may count on it.”

Zelda opens the door to get out of the car, after saying: “Get home safely.” She then gets the presents her family gave her out of the trunk and makes her way to her front door, Marie following closely behind her.

“Alright, let’s see when the next bus gets here,” Zelda mutters from the moment they’re both inside. She pulls out her cellphone and googles to the website where she can find the hours of the busses.

“Shit,” she groans when she scrolls down the page.

Frowning, Marie comes closer to subtly glance at her screen. “What is it?”

“Because of the heavy snow certain busses have been cancelled. One of those is the bus that stops here.”

“Aren’t there any other ones going in my direction?”

“I am afraid not,” Zelda sighs, stroking her fingers through her curly hair as she searches the website for any other possibilities, but finding none.

“Damn it,” Marie mumbles.

Turning off her phone, Zelda suggests something she really hadn’t expected she’d have to say to someone she just met: “You can stay here, if you want.”

Shaking her head, Marie declines: “No, you and your family have been way too kind to me already. I don’t want to burden you any further.”

“Nonsense,” Zelda huffs. “And you are certainly not a burden. I usually can’t stand to be around people who aren’t part of my family for longer than five minutes, but it seems you are an exception to that rule.” _Why is she so honest all of a sudden?_

Marie smiles at that, dimples appearing in her cheeks. “Zelda, I am flattered. Truly. But aren’t we going a little too fast?”

She does have a point there, but Zelda shrugs anyway. “It’s not like we have another option.”

Considering her for a moment, Marie nods and pulls out her cellphone, quickly dialing a number. “I need to call my neighbor Jamie, to ask if they can feed Bailey.”

Pleased, Zelda feels herself smile at the thought of having Marie stay with her even longer. As soon as she realizes she is smiling, she mentally slaps herself and clears her throat, making sure to let her lips form a thin line. “Of course.”

_Dear God, what is happening to her?_

***

Once Marie has given her neighbor instructions about Bailey’s feeding routine, she ends the call and agrees to stay with Zelda. The two women decide that it is still too early to go to bed, so they settle on the couch, both of them a glass of whisky in hand and the bottle on the coffee table in front of them.

Instantly, light conversation flows between the two of them, and occasionally, they both let out a few chuckles. Their thighs brush against one another, fingers briefly ghosting across each other’s hands or arms and though the gestures are innocent enough, they make Zelda’s throat grow dry.

Zelda feels her heart skip a beat when Marie’s face suddenly turns serious, and she gently asks: “Zelda, now that we are alone, do you wish to talk about what happened earlier?”

No, she very much does not, but also, a part of her does. She isn’t exactly sure what she wants to share about what happened, doesn’t know what Marie wants to hear and what will scare her away.

“It’s alright if you don’t, of course,” Marie quickly adds. “I just want to make sure you are alright.” She reaches out to take hold of Zelda’s hand, and Zelda feels herself give the woman an uncertain smile.

“You know,” she starts, “I don’t really wish to talk about it, but I feel like I should.”

Marie gives her a somewhat puzzled look, but nods anyway. “I’m all ears.”

_Here goes nothing._

“As you know, my niece passed away a little while ago.”

Marie nods.

Zelda continues.

“Hilda and I were her guardians, since her parents died in a plane crash when she was just a baby. The three of us lived together in what is now Hilda and Kenny’s house, together with Ambrose.”

Marie looks at her intently, seeming to be truly registering her words, but doesn’t interrupt.

The most soft, subtle smile graces Zelda’s features as she briefly thinks of her niece and whispers: “Sabrina was like a daughter to me. She was my everything.”

Marie squeezes her hand gently, and Zelda sighs.

“When I went upstairs, I tried to go inside her bedroom. I had this feeling that it was time to finally take that step,” she looks down and swallows hard, her eyes turning a little wet, “but I couldn’t do it. I just couldn’t. So I ran and then I...”

“You had a panic attack,” Marie continues for her. Zelda nods, meeting her gaze.

A hand comes up to stroke her back, and the smile Marie gives her makes every inch of Zelda’s body feel pleasantly warm. “I think trying to go in there was very brave of you.”

Snorting, Zelda shakes her head. “I didn’t even manage to actually do it. I just opened the door a little.”

Marie looks at her seriously, and says: “And next time, you will be able to open the door a little more. And the time after that, you’ll maybe take a peak inside.” Licking her lips, she gives Zelda a small, reassuring smile and adds: “Baby steps, chérie. You will get there eventually.”

Zelda Spellman is not left speechless often, but over the course of this rather eventful day, she has found herself at lack of words on more than one occasion. Right now, is one of those occasions.

Not knowing what to say, she nods her head silently.

The hand at her back stills, and Marie suddenly asks: “Can I give you a hug?”

If anyone else somehow would have found the courage to ask her that, Zelda would have huffed and politely- or rudely, depending on the person- declined that offer, but almost immediately, she nods wordlessly, her tongue apparently still lost. Marie leans forward, and two slender arms easily slide around Zelda’s waist. For a moment Zelda freezes, the way Marie’s scent seems to be stronger than ever overwhelming her with desire. Hesitantly, she returns the embrace then, and without thinking twice, she rests her head on Marie’s shoulder. The other woman feels so incredibly warm and soft against her, her body fitting perfectly against her own. As if they had been designed by a higher power to hold each other in this exact way.

Marie smells nice.

Zelda can’t quite name or place the scent, but it’s pleasant. It reminds her of old books, read in the late hours of night. It reminds her of dark rooms and bright moon light, of whisky and cigarettes, both of those leaving a bitter taste in her mouth, yet that’s probably what always made her go back for yet another sip or another drag.

It’s addicting.

Not able to help herself, Zelda turns her face to the side and catches a whiff of Marie’s hair. It smells like shampoo.

Clever hands stroke Zelda’s back fondly, and without warning, a lingering kiss is pressed against her neck.

Every muscle in Zelda’s body tenses, her eyes going wide. Call her oblivious, but she hadn’t seen that coming.

Apparently Marie notices the sudden change, because her hands still and she asks: “Was that too much?”

_Oh, it wasn’t nearly enough._

Marie is already making an attempt at pulling back from her, when Zelda tightens her grip and leans back a little so she can look into her eyes.

“Do it again.”

The words have left her lips before she even got a chance to really think about them. Brown eyes stare at her for a few seconds too long, and Zelda is certain she can see the wheels in Marie’s head turning. Fear that she said the wrong thing is about to knock at her door, when Marie smiles and puts those deft lips back to work.

One kiss is pressed against her neck.

Then a second below her jaw.

A third behind her ear.

Another by her throat, and before Zelda knows what is happening, Marie is leaving a trail of soft kisses along her neck and chest. Every piece of skin that isn’t covered by her dress, gets Marie’s full attention. Zelda’s hands settle on her shoulders, and her eyes drift shut. The only thing she is aware of anymore, is the feeling of soft, warm lips against her skin and then-

“ _Oh_ ,” Zelda fully gasps, eyes flying open and nails digging into the shoulders below her palms.

Marie bites down on her skin. Then she lets her tongue sweep across the spot to soothe it and Zelda has to squeeze her thighs together.

“If you keep doing that-“ she tries to warn, but just as the words leave her lips, Marie repeats the movement, so the end of her threat comes out as a rather needy moan.

_Damn that woman._

“Then _what_?” Marie purrs, her fingers trailing down Zelda’s spine.

She shudders, and somehow manages to choke out: “I won’t be responsible for what happenes next.”

Marie arches an eyebrow, a what is meant to look like innocent smile forming on her lips, but a hint of mischief sparkles in her eyes. “And what would that be?”

Zelda very nearly groans, before standing up from the couch. Marie frowns, looking a little confused and disappointed. That look is quickly replaced by something far more dangerous, when Zelda grabs her hand and pulls her to her feet. A wicked grin forms on Marie’s face, as she is dragged towards the stairs and is lead up to Zelda’s bedroom.

Once they’ve both entered the room, the door shut and Marie pressed up against it, Zelda settles her hands on either side of the woman’s head, leans forward and whispers:

“I’ll show you right now.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you liked this, please consider leaving a comment or kudo because it is my birthday today :D I’d really appreaciate it hehe
> 
> I also posted a humor Madam Spellman one shot, if you’re interested :) 
> 
> Have a good one and I’ll see you in the next chapter!


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The morning after.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, the first bit is pure filth and smut, so if you don't want to read that, please skip to the first *** you come across. 
> 
> I briefly discussed the topic of ‘what happens after death’ and just know that what I wrote is my personal opinion and just one way to look at the matter. Everyone has their own beliefs or opinions and I completely respect all of those as long as mine are respected as well :)
> 
> Enjoy!

Zelda’s attempt at staying in the more dominant position she had taken up from the moment she had dragged Marie to her bedroom, fails rather quickly.

Though she has to admit, she finds it rather difficult to care about losing the little game she started, when she is being pinned against the mattress, Marie’s head is buried between her thighs and she is on the brink of her third orgasm.

That woman’s tongue and fingers are making Zelda see stars and explosions behind closed eyelids, making her feel as though she about to combust with pleasure. It’s as though she is walking up the stairs to heaven, because she is certain that if that place really does exist, this is what being there feels like. The shivers down her spine, the way her toes curl and how her body shudders at every tiny thing Marie does, must be originating from a higher power, a higher place. Her entire body seems to be floating, her head spinning in delicious ecstasy and every muscle in her body is screaming. Screaming that she is on fire and that she will _burst_.

She can very nearly taste it: that sweet release.

Marie’s tongue swirls around her clit effortlessly, her warm breath tickling it, and those long, deft fingers pump in and out of her at a steady pace. Zelda’s legs are hooked over her strong shoulders, thighs wrapped around her head and heels digging into her back. Her hands are grabbing the sheets tightly, knuckles turning white and tears rolling down her face, definitely ruining her mascara. Poor Marie had asked if she was alright when she had first noticed she was crying. Zelda hadn’t been able to find the right words to explain that she was more than fine. That she was about to enter another life, that she felt out of this world, that Marie was fucking her so _good_ , she couldn’t help but cry in relief. So, she had just nodded her head, smiled and kissed her.

Curling her fingers, Marie grazes her teeth over the swollen bundle of nerves, and mutters words so filthy Zelda would stare at her in shock at hearing them leave her lips, if only she weren’t moaning Marie’s name loud enough to wake her neighbors further down the street. Another hand grabs Zelda’s ass and pulls her cunt even closer to her face.

“You feel so good, _chérie_ ,” Marie chokes out, her voice ragged. All Zelda can do is whimper, as she swallows hard.

The pace is sped up then, and as sharp nails trace down her thigh, while others thrust into her, Zelda’s back arches and she is so overwhelmed, she screams. It’s then that her orgasm washes over her in one strong wave, leaving her gasping for air and shuddering as a woman possessed.

Her mouth hangs open in a silent gasp then, as Marie gently guides her through the aftershocks. A single tear rolls down her cheek, as she slowly loosens her grip on the sheets. Her body twitches a final time, and Marie comes up to her to kiss her. Zelda sighs into her mouth, tasting herself on the other woman’s lips, and she idly wonders if she’ll ever be able to move her legs again, because right now, they feel lifeless.

“You’re- You’re very good at that,” she manages to choke out after they part.

_Very, very good._

Her chest is still heaving and she is having trouble catching her breath. The low chuckle Marie lets out, followed by her lips pressing a light kiss against her jaw, aren’t making breathing any easier.

“I’m glad to hear that,” Marie mutters against Zelda’s neck, before her tongue darts out to draw a long line up to her ear. “You only deserve good things, ma belle.” She confirms her point with a nip of her teeth and Zelda shudders. Her heart is racing in her chest as if she just ran a marathon, the sound pounding loudly through her head, and she wonders if Marie can hear it.

Zelda lets her hands run across Marie’s body, more than enjoying the feeling of those soft, round curves below her palms, _relishing_ it. Marie feels warm and perfect and her skin is smooth and delicate. In fact, it is so smooth and delicate, it makes Zelda want to completely ruin it. She wants to touch every single inch of her body, wants to explore every corner, and mark it as her own. She wants to drag her teeth down that long, elegant neck and let her tongue run across those sharp collarbones. Zelda wants to dig her nails into soft hips, wants to scratch them down her back. She wants to make sure that if this turns out to be a one-time thing, whoever gets to enjoy Marie’s body after her, will know that _she_ got there first.

Raw desire suddenly consumes her, as Marie’s clever lips work on her neck. In one swift motion, Zelda groans and rolls them both over, straddling the other woman’s hips. Marie looks at her slightly bewildered, before her confusion and shock is replaced by pure, filthy lust.

Feeling what some would call possessive, Zelda runs her hand down her sides, and leans forward to whisper: “Mine.”

Marie smirks, arching an eyebrow, and grabs Zelda’s ass. “ _Yours_ ,” she agrees, her hot breath ghosting across her lips, making Zelda’s heart skip a beat.

She stares at her for a moment, and Marie stares right back at her. Blown pupils swallow brown orbs and her purple lipstick is smudged. Her lips are parted, pink tongue coming out to lick them and the sight of it makes Zelda’s jaw clench. She lowers her body then, moving to settle in between two thick thighs, and with the sound of Marie’s voice muttering that one, oh so powerful word playing on repeat in the back of her mind, Zelda does everything her heart desires.

And Marie lets her.

***

When Zelda wakes up, finding the other side of the bed empty, fear claims her heart. _Had Marie left just like that?_

Carefully, she reaches out and finds the spot where Marie had slept still a little warm, meaning she hasn’t been gone for long. Sitting up, she looks around her bedroom and when her eyes land on Marie’s clothes, which are still scattered around the floor from the night before, she lets out a breath of relief. If her clothes are still here, it must mean Marie is somewhere around the house as well. She couldn’t possibly have gone out without clothes. At least, that is what Zelda _hopes_.

Resting her back against the headboard behind her, she allows herself to smile. Her body is sore in all the right places and she feels more content than she has in years.

_She had slept in Marie’s arms._

Zelda can’t remember the last time she had allowed anyone to hold her at night, or the last time she even shared a bed with someone else, but with Marie, it felt natural. It felt normal, eventhough they had only just met.

After a moment of sitting there is silence, a beaming smile on her face, she slides out from underneath the covers and saunters to her closet. She takes out a black dressing gown, and after putting it on, makes her way to the door. When she is about to go downstairs, she catches sight of her reflection in the mirror and she very nearly gasps, before chuckling shyly. Her entire neck is covered in dark bruises and hickeys, even a few bite marks, and her hair is an utter mess. She tries fixing her hair a little, but quickly realizes that the matter is hopeless, so she just shakes her head and goes downstairs.

The entire house smells delicious, like freshly cooked breakfast and coffee. Zelda can’t remember the last time it smelled that way, since she herself wasn’t much of a cook. The closer to the kitchen she gets, the more intense the smells that fill her nose become. Upon entering the kitchen, she feels a grin on her face, one she has to suppress by biting her lip.

Marie is standing by the stove, swaying her luscious hips happily, as she whistles a melody Zelda doesn’t recognize. Much to Zelda’s disappointment, the other woman isn’t naked as she had thought she would be, but wearing one of her dressing gowns. Her lip-biting only intensifies as she realizes it seems to be a little too tight around her backside.

Marie turns the stove off then and spins around. As soon as she catches sight of Zelda standing in the doorway, she stops whistling and smiles at her instead.

“Good morning, chérie! Did you sleep well?” she asks, putting scrambled eggs onto two plates.

_It was the best sleep she’d had in ages._

“I did, thank you. Hopefully, you did too?”

Nodding, she assures: “Oui, bien sûr.” She sets two plates down on the table then and gestures to a chair. “Hungry?”

“A little,” Zelda hums, before sitting down, as Marie does the same. She looks at the plate and everything looks absolutely delicious. It is filled with a generous amount of eggs, bacon and toast and it smells amazing. “I usually don’t eat this much in the morning though.”

Picking up her cutlery, Marie says: “My grandmother taught me that breakfast is the most important meal of the day.”

Zelda smiles softly, and takes a bite of toast. “What other wisdoms did she teach you?” she asks, once she has swallowed.

“More things than I could count. She made me who I am today.”

Lifting her eyebrows, Zelda sips her coffee. “I should thank her then.”

Her smile barely falters then, but it’s enough for Zelda to notice and it makes her heart clench in her chest. “I’m afraid she passed away many years ago,” Marie says softly.

Zelda stays silent for a moment, carefully picking her words. “I’m sure she is watching over you. And that she is proud of the woman that you are.”

Marie looks up from her food then, her lips parting in surprise. She blinks a few times, before smiling and whispering: “Thank you.”

Returning her smile, Zelda nods once and starts eating again.

Silence stretches between them for a few more moments, Marie’s gaze awkwardly darting back and forth between Zelda’s face and the plate in front of her. It’s as if she has something else on her mind, and is considering if she should actually speak about it.

Zelda pretends she doesn’t notice.

“Do you believe in some sort of life after death?” Marie asks suddenly, her face serious, yet also curious.

_There it is._

Deep down, she knows she doesn’t, but believing that Sabrina’s spirit is still somewhere out there in one way or another, is easier to accept than the thought that she is simply gone, body and soul. “On some days I do,” she says honestly.

On days when her grief is too much to bear, she likes to stand outside and pretend the wind hitting her face is Sabrina’s caress against her skin and that somewhere up there, behind the clouds, her niece is smiling down at her. Zelda likes to believe that she is still causing trouble somewhere and that she is still dancing to the songs she always played too loudly for Zelda’s liking. She likes to believe that Sabrina is still stuffing her face with blueberry pancakes, drenched in maple syrup and that she is still bleaching her hair over and over again.

And on other days, she simply can’t manage to trick her brain into actually believing all of that.

Shaking those thoughts away, she turns to Marie and asks: “What about you?”

“I’m a catholic, but I don’t think that Heaven and Hell are actual places.”

Arching an eyebrow, Zelda wonders: “Then what are they to you?”

Licking her lips, Marie shrugs. “I think they represent the way people remember us when we’re gone,” she says, as if it is the most simple answer ever.

Zelda tilts her head and throws Marie a guilty look. “I’m afraid my niece is in hell then. I damned that girl so many times, and I still do on some occasions.” She chuckles then, but even to herself, the sound seems hollow and bitter. “Every now and then I just get _mad_ at her for dying.”

She very nearly laughs at how ridiculous her own words sound, because it’s not like Sabrina chose to die. And still, she can’t help but be at least a _little_ spiteful about it, can’t help but wonder where that girl found the nerve to leave her behind.

Marie looks at her intently, and Zelda suddenly feels so _seen_ , before asking: “But she was a good person, non?”

“Of course,” Zelda answers without thinking twice. Sabrine might have been a reckless, stubborn- often stupid- teenager that occasionally drove Zelda up the walls, but she was _good_. Her heart was pure and right, and Zelda never doubted for a second that she only ever wished to help people.

“And you loved her?”

Again, her answer comes out without hesitation: “More than anything.”

Smiling, Marie reaches out and gives Zelda’s hand a soft squeeze. “Then I am certain she is in heaven.”

Zelda feels tears burning in her eyes at that, so she quickly looks down and nods a few times. Marie takes that as her sign to drop the matter, and lets go of Zelda’s hand, returning to eating her food. Zelda does the same and for a few moments, both women eat in silence.

Once they’ve both finished their breakfast, Zelda clears her throat and dares to glance up. She finds Marie already watching her, an ever so soft smile playing on her lips. It makes Zelda’s insides melt. “I’m going to hop into the shower, I feel sticky. Would you care to join me?”

Marie grins at the offer, showing off a set of pearly white teeth, but shakes her head regrettably. “I would honestly love to, but the first bus arrives in a bit and I really have to get back to Bailey. That old boy isn’t used to me being gone for so long.”

Her face falls just a little, because for some reason, she just doesn’t want to part with Marie. Still, she smiles and says: “Ah yes, you mustn’t neglect him.”

“Exactly.” Marie stands up then, putting their plates in the sink, before rounding the table. Two warm hands make contact with Zelda’s tense shoulders, and a lingering kiss is pressed against her cheek. Her eyelids flutter shut and she feels herself turn into a puddle, as Marie’s nails softly run down the back of her neck. “I’m gonna get dressed now, alright?”

Somehow Zelda finds herself wordlessly nodding, her eyes still closed and her lips parted. She sighs softly, and Marie’s hands leave her shoulders, taking along the ever-present tension Zelda usually feels in them. Once Marie is out of the kitchen and up the stairs, Zelda bites her lip, a smile threatening to creep on her face.

She doesn’t know what powers that woman possesses but they make her feel as though she is flying.

***

A few minutes later, Marie comes back downstairs, now fully dressed and ready to go. She puts on her coat as well, while Zelda stands by the door, waiting for her and shifting her weight from one foot to another.

“I had a wonderful time with you and your family, chérie,” Marie says, as she steps to where Zelda is standing by the door, before adding: “But especially with you.” She winks, and a pink blush creeps onto Zelda’s ivory cheeks, her heart fluttering a little.

“I loved having you around as well,” she admits softly, giving Marie a shy smile.

Marie’s own smile widens then, and she pulls Zelda in for a warm embrace that is probably far too intimate for two people who only met the day before. Zelda couldn’t care less, and just buries her face against Marie’s neck, trying to subtly inhale her amazing scent for a few more moments.

Once they part and Marie walks out the door, her heart fills itself with dread. Her house suddenly feels so empty and quiet again. Zelda wonders how she had survived without company for so long, how she had been able to bear that ever-lasting silence and loneliness.

However, when she walks into the living room, her eyes fall on a pink post-it note sticking to the coffee table. Heart skipping a beat, Zelda nearly runs towards it and smirks when she sees Marie’s phone number written on it.

_Call me ;)_

_Your Marie x_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Are there any things you guys would want to see happen in the next chapters? Feel free to let me know and I’ll try to make it happen
> 
> I hope you liked this and please have an amazing day!!!  
> 
> 
> Oui, bien sûr: Yes, of course  
> Non: no


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hiking with Hilda, and meeting Marie's dog Bailey.

“We should have checked the weather for today before we came here,” Zelda grumbles quietly under her breath, yet loud enough to be sure Hilda heard her.

They’re going hiking today.

Today, when the snowfall is heavier than on any other day. When they had left for Riverdale this morning, the sun had been shining brightly, promising to be a beautiful day. After an hour of walking, however, thick flakes of snow had started to fall from the sky, along with a strong wind that was certainly going to mess up Zelda’s hair. Luckily she had gotten her Jeep repaired a few days earlier, because if they had used Hilda’s Mini Cooper to get here, they probably wouldn’t even be able to make it home later.

Hilda sighs and rolls her eyes lightly at her sister’s overly exasperated tone. “Yes, Zelds, I know. You’ve mentioned that about six times now.”

She huffs at the remark, jutting her chin. “I just want to make sure history doesn’t repeat itself the next time we do this,” she says in defence.

“Maybe there won’t be a next time if you keep complaining like that,” Hilda snaps, raising her voice just the tiniest bit. Zelda gasp at her in shock, not used to her sister putting her in her place like that.

Point taken, Zelda accepts her sister’s fed-up tone as her sign to keep her mouth shut about the topic.

They walk in silence for a few moments then, the cracking of their footsteps on the layer of snow on the path in front of them, the only audible sound. If there is one thing Zelda actually likes about snow, it is the way it swallows ever tiny noise, resulting in a beautiful, soothing _silence_.

Though Zelda spends most of her days in the silence of her own house, the silence here, in this in snow covered forest, feels different. Maybe that is because, as she walks here, enjoying that peaceful quietness, she isn’t alone. Right now, she can choose to break it.

She isn’t _forced_ to endure it.

“So how is Marie doing?” Hilda suddenly asks, pulling Zelda from her thoughts.

Zelda had seen that question coming, of course. She had known Hilda would want more information about what exactly was going on between the two of them, and would not so subtly dig for answers. That is why this morning, she had done a quick prayer to any gods above that her nosy sister would magically forget about Marie all together. Unfortunately, it appears that her supplications weren’t heard. Or maybe just ignored.

Shrugging, she shakes her head. “No idea.”

Hilda frowns at her, a puzzled look on her face and Zelda swears she can see the wheels in her head turning. “You haven’t heard from her since the dinner?”

Zelda shakes her head again.

Confusion now replaced by suspicion and an arched eyebrow, Hilda asks: “Does she have your phone number?”

When Zelda sighs and purposely avoids eyecontact, Hilda hisses. “ _Zelds_ -“

Raising her hands, Zelda starts: “She knows where I live, so she has my adress. If she _really_ wanted to speak to me, she could write a letter-“

Groaning, and rolling her eyes in disbelief at her sister’s spiteful stubbornness, Hilda interrupts her. “Oh for God’s sake, Zelda! I thought _I_ was the one bad at this whole dating thing.”

Inhaling sharply, Zelda states: “First of all, we are _not_ dating and second of all, _you_ _are_.” Maybe she isn’t really that bad though. After all, she is the one with a husband, and Zelda is the one spending her days as a lone spinster who talks more to herself than actual other human beings.

“At least I know to give my number to someone I like,” she mocks, adding a little huff at the end.

Brow furrowed, Zelda starts to stutter. “I don’t-“

“You like her, don’t even try to deny it. Why else would you bring her to a Christmas dinner?” Hilda reasons, sounding entirely too smug for her own good.

Zelda remains silent, simply rolling her eyes, while internally beating the living daylight out of her sister’s know-it-all ass, because she really does like Marie. Only she won’t dare say it out loud. Hell, she barely dares to _think_ about it. She’d rather confess to committing a murder she actually did not commit, than admit that over the course of merely twenty-four blissful hours, Marie LeFleur had waltzed into a special place in her heart.

Hilda stares at her with suspicion again then. “I can’t believe Marie is not more smooth than that though. Do you not have hers?”

A guilty look creeps on Zelda’s face, and she knows that trying to lie her way out of this is pointless, since Hilda has always been able to seemingly _smell_ her lies like a bloodhound, so she softly admits: “I do. She wrote it on a note before she left.”

“Then you should call her!” Hilda insists, “It’s been over a week, she’s probably starting to think you’re not intrested anymore.”

Zelda mumbles something inaudibly.

“What was that?”

“What would I even say?” she groans, repeating her question but louder this time.

“Bloody ask her how she is doing, and if maybe she would like to meet up some time,” the blonde states simply, looking at her sister as if she just explained to her that one plus one equals two.

“You make it all sound so easy,” Zelda nearly whines, pouting her lip just a little.

Hilda chuckles dryly. “Because it _is_ that easy. Don’t forget, it was you who taught me all of this.”

Zelda smiles, clearly remembering how she had hyped her sister up and had given her an entire make-over when she wanted to seduce Kenny. In the end, even that had worked out just fine.

She can’t believe how the tables have turned. Never had she expected to get dating advice from her younger sister.

Sighing softly, Zelda nods. “I know. But ever since Christmas, I have been wondering: why do I even bother? Marie and I are never going to actually be something.”

“How do you know that if you don’t at least try?”

Zelda glances at her briefly, finding her sister regarding her with those gigantic, kind eyes that bore holes right through her soul. She nods then, because Hilda probably does have a point there.

She bites her lip, and asks unsurely: “But what if this ends up hurting me?”

“Well, don’t all things?” Hilda chuckles playfully.

Throwing her sister a very dirty glare, she mutters: “Not helping, Hildegarde.”

“Yeah, probably not, but you know what they say. ‘Better to have loved and lost, than never to have loved at all.’ Right?”

 _Bullshit_.

Then she thinks of Marie, and that warm, kind smile. She thinks of the sound of her laugh and the dimples in her soft cheeks. She thinks of round curves below her palms and sweet smiles thrown at her over breakfast. She thinks of kind words and silly jokes, of silences that don’t feel awkward but comfortable and she thinks of gentle kisses and lingering touches.

And so she finds herself nodding and agreeing:

“ _Right_.”

***

Huffing at her own stupidity, Zelda snatches a tissue from the box on the coffee table, and presses it against the side of her finger. She has been picking at her own skin for the last five minutes, to the point where it made her finger bleed.

Zelda honestly fails to understand why she had been cool as a cucumber, when Marie had fucked her until she was nothing more than a trembling mess, but when she simply wants to _call_ her, she feels more nervous than ever. That woman has seen her naked, for God’s sake. Why does calling her suddenly seem like taking, whatever it is they have going on, to the next level?

Sighing, she tosses the tissue to the trash can in the corner of the room, and completely misses her mark. Deciding that she’ll pick it up later, she takes her cellphone from the coffee table, along with the pink note Marie had left behind. Hesitantly, she unlocks her phone and dials the number written on the paper. She presses the phone against her ear and swallows hard.

_Please don’t pick up. Please don’t pick up. Please don’t-_

“Marie LeFleur à l'appareil, who am I speaking to?”

_Damn it._

“It’s Zelda.”

She hears Marie gasp. “Oh, I’m so happy to hear you, chérie!” Even through the phone, Zelda can hear the other woman’s excitement. “I got worried there for a minute,” she mutters jokingly.

Licking her lips, she apologizes: “I’m sorry it took me so long to reach out to you.”

“Pas de problème, I understand.”

She hears some noise in the background then, but it doesn’t sound like a TV or radio.

“I’m not interrupting, am I?” Zelda asks, silently hoping that Marie is currently unavailable for a talk.

“Not at all, I’m just taking my break at work,” Marie assures her, and it makes Zelda realize she doesn’t even know what the woman’s job is. “And even if you were, I’d make time for you.”

Her heart flutters just a little at that, and the statement makes her feel a bit more at ease. She bites her lip to stop herself from smiling, before she remembers that Marie can’t actually see her, so she just lets her smile take over.

For a moment, she doesn’t know what to say, until she remembers Hilda’s advice. “How are you doing?”

“I’m alright, just busy with work. What about you?”

_That answer was shorter than expected._

“I’m fine, thanks,” Zelda says a little too quickly, “Actually, I was calling to ask if you’d like to meet up some time, but if you’re busy-“

“ _Chérie_ ,” Marie gently interrupts, “I am not _that_ busy. Meaning: I would love to see you.”

Zelda lets out a breath of relief at not being rejected. She would never have been able to recover from that embarrassment. “Good.”

“Do you have anything particular in mind?”

Zelda takes a while to think, because she hadn’t thought she’d actually get this far, and therefore hadn’t even bothered with coming up with a place for them to meet. But then, the most perfect idea pops into her mind.

“Well, I would really like to be introduced to your dog.”

***

Marie’s appartment is nice.

Every flat surface in the room is decorated with candles and at least one plant, while warm sunlight is beaming through the giant window, from which you can look down on the street. The entire place smells of herbs, flowers and tea, of freshly baked goods and candle wax. Being so embraced by Marie’s scent brings Zelda comfort. It makes her feel at home in an instant.

On one of the walls, hang a dozen of framed pictures, of people that Zelda assumes are Marie’s family members or friends. In a corner stands an acoustic guitar, that is decorated with painted flowers, hearts and peace symbols. Several small paintings of landscapes are pinned against yet another wall, making her wonder if Marie is the artist that created them. For a moment, she thinks of how she actually likes the idea of Marie as an artist. She lets her thoughts wander, and images of Marie with paint smeared on her hands and cheeks, or Marie sitting down, while playing the guitar and singing songs to her, cross her mind.

Those thoughts make her- for unknown reasons- _smile_.

A glass coffee table stands in front of her, a bunch of magazines scattered across it, and Marie sets two cups of steaming tea on it, along with a plate of biscuits.

“I see he has made a new friend?” Marie giggles softly, smiling at the sight in front of her.

From the moment Zelda had entered the living room, Bailey had _demanded_ her attention and Zelda didn’t have the heart to turn him away. They’re currently cuddling on the couch, the rather large dog lying in Zelda’s lap- for as far as that is possible- and Zelda scratching his belly.

“Yes, he has. Isn’t that right, buddy?” Zelda asks happily, smiling down at her new besy friend.

Bailey wags his fluffy tail happily in response, looking up with big, adoring eyes.

Marie smiles, before turning to the dog with an arched eyebrow. “My dear man, Zelda can’t drink her tea with you on her lap. Go lie down,” she commands, pointing to a spot by the window where a huge basket stands, which has a rather comfortable looking pillow in it.

He hesitates for a moment, but when Marie tilts her head to the side, Bailey jumps off Zelda’s lap, and walks to his basket. He lies down and closes his eyes immediately.

“He always forgets he’s a bit too big to cuddle in someone’s lap,” Marie chuckles, sitting down next to Zelda on the couch.

“Oh, that’s quite alright. Actually, I had a dog of my own when I was younger, so I know how they can get. Though, Vinegar Tom wasn’t nearly as big, or hairy as Bailey,” she says, trying to wipe some of the blonde hairs the dog had left behind on her clothes away.

Marie gasps when she sees the small mess Bailey had made, and quickly starts muttering apologies. Before Zelda can tell her that it’s okay, Marie’s hands move over her clothes, attempting to make the hairs go away. Their hands brush then, and Zelda is certain she can feel electricity course through her body at the brief contact. It appears Marie feels it as well, her movements stilling for a moment, as brown eyes meet green ones. Time seems frozen as they stare at each other, and the sunlight that’s coming through the window kisses Marie’s eyes, making them look like dark pools of honey.

Zelda had looked into Marie’s eyes before, had drowned in the depths of those dark orbs before, but it’s only now that she realizes that there is more than beautiful, endless darkness in those eyes.

There is so much warmth in there.

They remind Zelda of seas of gold. Gold that people would give their life for to dig up from the ground, gold that could never be counted in money. Gold more rich and valuable than any gem or stone that was ever discovered from below the surface of the earth.

They are glowing, _shining_.

Zelda can’t help herself, the words leave her lips before she can rethink them:  
“Your eyes are so beautiful.”

 _Oh_.

The shy, little smile that takes over Marie’s face is the most precious, endearing thing Zelda has ever seen.

“Mine?” she asks in disbelief, suddenly looking down. “They’re just brown, and boring.”

Lifting Marie’s chin with her finger, encouraging her to meet her gaze, Zelda shakes her head. “No. Not boring,” she insists, “They are _stunning_.”

Marie’s lips part at that, and the shy smile she is wearing changes into something else, something sweet and full of longing, yet more deep than that. Something that Zelda can’t quite name, for she has never seen anyone look at her like that before. A hand carefully caresses her cheek, until it gently slides around her neck. Zelda swallows hard, and Marie’s smile returns, before she leans in and kisses her softly.

It’s a chaste kiss that only lasts for a few seconds, but Zelda feels it linger once they part nonetheless, leaving her lips tingling in the most thrilling way. It’s been more than a week since they last saw each other, since their last kiss, _and dear lord_ , Zelda has missed her and those soft kisses as if she had been missing a limb.

Looking down, a pleased smirk forms on Marie’s face. “You’re wearing the bracelet I gave you,” she notes in delight, sounding at least a little smug about it.

Zelda nods her head, “I have been wearing it every day.”

Fingers softly moving along the thin, silver bracelet, Marie says: “That means I have sort of been with you all this time.”

Lips parting in surprise, Zelda blinks at her, before nodding again and smiling: “Yes. I suppose it does.”

Their eyes lock again, Marie’s fingers moving to the palm of Zelda’s hand. She starts tracing circles there, and the soft, brushing touch sends shivers down her spine.

Out of nowhere, Bailey starts barking then, suddenly standing up from his basket to sprint to the door.

“Sorry, he does that every time our neighbors get home,” Marie apologizes, chuckling softly.

Zelda laughs at the dog for a moment, memories of how Vinnie used to do the very same thing flashing through her mind.

After a bit, the barking stops, and Bailey slowly marches back to his basket to continue his nap, as if nothing ever happened.

Clearing her throat, Marie pulls back then and somewhat awkwardly scratches her neck, now seeming a little nervous.

“I think I got one of those uhm- _roll things_ to get hair and stuff off clothes. I’ll go find it for you,” she says, already getting up from the couch, but Zelda quickly grabs her hand to hold her back.

“Marie, it’s alright, honestly,” she assures her, thumb caressing the back of her hand as she smiles up at her. “Let’s just sit down and drink that tea you made, eh?”

Nodding, she sits down again, and her ever so vibrant smile returns to her face.

“So tell me about your old dog. Vinegar Tom, wasn’t it?”

***

“I’m afraid I must get going now,” Zelda announces with regret, downing the last bit of her tea.

Marie looks at the clock, and then turns her gaze back to Zelda, “You could stay for dinner, if you want to.”

“Believe me, I would really like that. But Hilda and I went hiking a few days ago, and she cooked in my kitchen afterward. I still haven’t finished all leftovers.”

She chuckles at that, nodding her head, “That does sound like Hilda.”

Zelda gets up from the couch then and puts on her coat. Smiling somewhat shyly, she twists the ring around her finger a few times. “I really enjoyed this. Being here with you and Bailey,” she admits, briefly looking back at where the dog is still sleeping and dead to the world.

“Me too,” Marie agrees, getting up as well to guide Zelda to the door. “We could, maybe, do this again sometime?”

“I’d love to.”

Smiling, Marie gives her a slight nod and opens the door for her. But, when Zelda walks through it, she suddenly asks: “And maybe we can have dinner together once you’ve finished Hilda’s food?”

“Are you suggesting I’ll cook for you? Because, I really can’t cook so save my life.” It’s said with a sarcastic tone, but it’s sadly very true.

Laughing, she shakes her head and clarifies: “No, I meant we could have dinner at a restaurant. I know a great Italian place.”

Biting her lip softly, Zelda lowers her gaze. “Are you proposing a date?” she asks softly, knowing that a blush is about to creep onto her face.

After a moment, Marie smiles and says confidently: “Yes, I am.” Then she adds: “Everything happened so fast between us, I’d like to do things properly from now on.”

 _True_.

Zelda needs to know what doing things ‘properly’ means though, so she wonders: “Does that mean giving you a kiss goodbye would be inappropriate?”

Pursing her lips, she muses for a moment. “Well,” Marie lowers her voice then, and takes a step closer to her, “I wouldn't oppose to that.”

Her voice sounds a little rough and Zelda feels her eyelids flutter at the mere sound of it. She raises her eyebrows once and takes a step closer as well, until their chests are pressed together. Marie’s hands settle on her hips, to pull her impossibly closer, and Zelda settles hers around the woman’s neck.

She is sure she can see Marie’s pupils dilate slightly, when she mutters: “Good,” before she leans in to close the small remaining distance between them.

Their lips brush against each other softly for a few moments, before Marie’s tongue darts out and swipes across Zelda’s lower lip. She sighs contently, and lets her nails dig slightly into the skin below them. Teeth run across lips, tugging and biting ever so softly and tongues twirl around one another as if they are performing a dance. Zelda feels as if fireworks are being lit inside her stomach, sees colorful explosions behind closed eyelids and feels her head starting to spin.

When the two women finally do part, Zelda feels incredibly flushed and turned on, to say the least. She licks her burning lips and regrettably pulls back from Marie, knowing that she won’t be able to stick to the plan of taking things more slowly, if she stays in her embrace for a moment longer.

“Are you free this weekend?” she asks, her voice a little husky and out of breath.

Marie smiles and Zelda feels her insides melt as she lifts an eyebrow and says: “For a date with you? _Always_.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There is a small chance I might not have the next chapter ready by next week, since I am currently really caught up in school and I also have a bad case of writer's block. So if you don't see an update next Wednesday, that's why. But on the bright side: I am writing a new Zarie one shot that should be ready soon! 
> 
> I also have to say: If Hilda had a car, it would be a red/yellow Mini Cooper and I stand by that. Thanks for coming to my ted talk. 
> 
> I hope you liked this, and please have an amazing day! You can also still send request for what you want to happen in later chapters :)
> 
> Marie LeFleur à l'appareil: Marie LeFleur on the phone  
> Pas de problème: No problem

**Author's Note:**

> I JUST CANNOT IMAGINE MARIE DRINKING COFFEE IDK WHY 
> 
> And okay I know this was maybe a little unrealistic, but if a woman like Marie came up to you and offered to help you carry your bags and walk you home, would you say NO? 
> 
> Call me a dumb lesbian but I sure wouldn’t and in my head neither would Zelda *peace sign, duck face*
> 
> HAVE THE MOST WONDERFUL DAY HIHIHIH BYE 
> 
> Translations (idk if these are all of them cause im in a hurry as im writing this so sorry if I missed any):
> 
> Oui: Yes  
> Désolé: Sorry  
> Pas du tout: Not at all


End file.
